Reign of the Tabri
by Himonky
Summary: Tabris' children walk in his place. Will they complete what he began? Complete. My first story.
1. RePair

Disclaimer: If I owned Gainax the movie would be out by now. But since I don't...well, it isn't out.

**Reign of the Tabri**

"If the Final Messenger is defeated by the neglected son it shall come to pass that the children rule all."- Dead Sea Scrolls, Chapter 17

Chapter 1: Setting the Table

* * *

**1 Week After Death**

As he looked out the window of his personal VTOL the Sub-commander could only sigh. There was so much destruction here, and for so little. NERVs 2nd branch could be seen outside, or at least what was left of it. It had been completely destroyed after an apparent Sea of Dirac had appeared here. All that was really left was an 89 km crater.

Kozo Fuyutsuki was here to observe a funeral of sorts. Now that all the angels were dead there wasn't a lot for him to do but go to ceremonies. There were funerals for all who had died in the angels attacks… and NERV PR said it looked good for the commander and sub-commander to be at these. Gendo, being the cold hearted-bastard that the sub-commander knew him to be, had refused leaving it on the sub-commander to go to all the funerals.

The biggest funeral of all was to be held here at the former NERV 2. There were no bodies to bury, but loved ones still wanted to have someplace to visit.

The sub-commander heard a crunch outside and realized that during his musings they had landed. He gathered the few possessions he had on him, a speech and his cellular phone, and made his way outside. Surprisingly there was no one waiting.

'Stupid PR,' he thought 'they make me go this whole way and there aren't even any cameras, what a waste of time.'

One thing was for sure someone's head would roll for this.

Still, might as well make the best of this. He headed down towards the temporary shelter that had been set up. The soldiers their at least would be from NERV, possibly dragged all the way from Japan just like him.

When he arrived he was surprised to see quite a bit of activity. Techs were running around shouting about various things. Kozo walked on until he reached the command tent. Inside he found Director Ito in somewhat of a panic, slumped on his desk.

"Oh thank God you're here sub-commander!" he screeched in a high pitched voice "We don't have any idea how to deal with this problem I mean how can we what with all this-"

"Calm down and tell me what happened." interrupted Fuyutsuki.

Director Ito blinked in surprise, "You mean you weren't told on the way here!" he exclaimed.

"No, I received no communication from the base until I arrived here."

Sitting more upright the Director remarked more professionally, "Ahem… At approximately 9 hundred hours this morning an unknown assailant bypassed our security and made it into the crater. At this time we have been unable to locate said person."

Fuyutsuki looked thoughtful for a moment. Then, "And now can you tell me why this is important?"

The Director nodded. "Sir, the crater created by the…um…explosion is nearly entirely smooth."

Fuyutsuki waved his hand as if to tell the Director to go on.

The Director did go on, "Sir, there is no cover down their. We should be able to see him from a VTOL easily. The problem is we can't. We even know he hasn't left because of the cameras we have set up."

The sub-commander was now thuroughly perplexed. If what the director said was right how come the intruder hadn't been apprehended, or at the very least seen?

The conversation was then interrupted by a wailing noise coming from the outside of the tent. Soon however it was overshadowed by the screams of surprised techs.

The sub-commander and Director rushed outside and were greeted by a truly amazing sight. High in the air above the crater was an inky black hole. It looked almost exactly like the angel Leliel had but with one difference.

Were Leliel had appeared parallel to the ground, this hole was perpendicular.

As soon as he saw it the sub-commander gasped. 'Another Sea of Dirac!' he thought 'but how is that possible? All the angels are gone; there is nothing on this world that could create this. Unless…impossible!'

As if on cue the wailing was replaced by a great bellow spreading out from the black hole. And then from inside of the hole a pair of silver hands reached out. They were soon followed by thehead of a monster. A body and legs soon followed. All was covered in a dark purple goo.

Fuyutsuki's facial expression was one of terror mixed with astonishment. Even covered in the goo the shape was recognizable to him."E..Eva Unit 04!" he managed to gasp out. 'How?' he thought.

By now the whole Eva was free and the huge Sea of Dirac began to spiral into itself.

A shocked silence loomed over the crater and surrounding land. The only sound was peices of the purple goo falling off the Eva in huge globs.

Finally, when the Sea of Dirac was nearly completely gone, the Eva brought up its head and roared. Techs clutched their heads all over. Fuyutsuki barely heard it. He had noticed two very strange details about the Eva. Not only was its entry plug not inserted but standing on its palm was a man.

The man's red eyes stabbed into Fuyutsuki as if they could see straight into his soul. He smiled and then spoke in an impossible amplified voice "Payback's a bitch, isn't it?"

Kozo took a step back in fear.

Then theman turned back towards the Evangelion and his lips moved as if he was speaking to it. Kozo would have given quite a lot to hear whatever it was he said. The Eva then began to walk away from Fuyutsuki. Kozo reached out his arm as if to ask the Eva to stop but if it received his mental plea it ignored it.

Another uncomfortable silence followed. It was not broken until the Eva was almost out of sight.

"Holy shit!" exclaimed Director Ito.

The camp seemed to immediately start to move again. Techs scrambled to find out how the Eva had returned, who was piloting it, and most importantly of all were it was going.

Hundreds of miles away in the geofront there was a phone. What it looked like isn't really important but the fact that it's in Gendo Ikari's office is. Soon this phone would ring with a long distance call from the US.

* * *

**10 days After Death**

They gathered once more.

"How is this possible!" demanded one. Its appearance was of a black monolith with the letters SEELE 7 emblazed on it.

"It would appear that the intruder into the area was the man described to be being held by the Eva." remarked another of the monoliths, number 3 this time.

"Indeed," spoke the leader of the others "How is it that our defenses were bypassed by this man?"

As another, number 10, was about to speak SEELE 1 spoke again, "Bah, it doesn't matter. What's important is how he managed to get Unit 4 back."

"And what of what he said?" asked SEELE 12.

"Yes, 'payback's a bitch, isn't it?'" quoted SEELE 4, "But who will he pay back?"

"I fear we will find out all too soon," spoke the gruff SEELE 11, "since he has escaped with the Evangelion, at least for the moment."

"Yes!" spoke SEELE 7 once more "How is it he managed to elude all of our tracking devices!"

"With that Evangelion he will be able to do much more then simply avoid detection. He could level countries before we stop him." added SEELE 6.

"We must find Evangelion Unit 4," spoke 1 "But we also have other matters that need attending. SEELE 8, how goes the construction of our Mass Production Evangelions?"

The meeting resorts to basic reports to quell the members fear. None will speak of it but the reappearance of Unit 4 has scared them all deeply. It was not in their scenario. Of course, neither was the second branches disappearance, but still…

Unbeknownst to all of the members assembled their secrecy has at last been broken.

* * *

A packed auditorium filled with people of all ages. The all sit at rapt attention listening to a speaker. All seem bent on his every word, as if war could be proclaimed on his whim. It very well could be. 

Well, all seem bent on his every word save one.

She sat in a balcony alone on a nicely padded chair. Two other chairs sat next to her, left for comrades now gone.

She still listened. Just not like the others. She could not agree with what this speaker had to say. She had no desire to spread the blood of this…boy.

No matter what they said that was what he was. Even if he had killed her father he was still a boy. She could not wholly hold him responsible for what he had done. He had been too manipulated.

Down on the stage of the auditorium "…He must be avenged!" The speaker was ending this tirade and went straight into another. "And for those simpletons who consider themselves a secret society, pathetic that they are…"

The girl in the balcony could only watch on in displeasure. She felt pity mixed withher other emotionas the orders for multiple strikes were placed, the targets completely unsuspecting. She'd have to speak to him before she left. He could stop this madness… but probable wouldn't. She sighed. 'I'll have to then,' she thought 'unless Rob pulls something out of his ass at the last minute.' She winced at that unpleasant image.

The speaker began to wrap up everything now and soon he was walking off stage to the thunderous applause of all present. Even the girl clapped, it was a great speech even if she didn't agree with it. She got up and went down to the backstage.

* * *

He walked off stage very happy with himself. He had them eating out of his palm. Just three more to convince to join him and he would have the whole conclave. Nothing could have spoiled his mood right then. Except for perhaps the news that someone had beaten him to the kill. 

Ow! How he wanted to bath in the blood of this enemy. The one that had killed his father. He wanted to kill him more then anything ever.Just to kill the one called…

His train of thought was thrown off by her coming up to him. He stopped in his tracks. This one could not be bought over with plans of revenge. Sweetness would not work either; she was practically the queen of that despite her youthful appearance. She appeared to only be about eight or nine but he knew better. She was much better then that and only looked that way so others would under estimate her. Well, since sweet words wouldn't work…

"Looking just a bit angry today Leslen." He remarked with acruel grin.

The girlmet his grin and raised him a scowl, "You'll go against father's wishes for personal prowesses once more, will you Michel?"

He returned again with a smirk, "I don't have time to argue with you about this anymore. We will attack in a week and we **all** must be ready when it is time." He started walking past her again to meet with his closer followers.

As he passed by her shewhispered "Yes, I suppose that is true… I'll be sure to tell **him** to be ready."

Michel's face contorted in anger. There was no doubt in his mind who the **he** was. Then as quickly as it had angered, his face calmed. "Yes, why don't you tell him of my plans? I'm sure he'll be delighted to here what his desertion has caused."

Leslen seemed to collapse inwards at this statement. With another smirk Michel began to walk away once more. This time he wasn't stopped.

He reached his private rooms a few minutes later. Inside he sat down with his private "cabinet". "Reports." he ordered stiffly.

A large woman with dark red hair passed him a report first. He read it quickly and then looked back up at her. "Has this been confirmed?"

"Yes High Brother Michel. It seems that it happened nearly two weeks ago but out spies had been unable to report."

"Have them killed. If it took them that long to get the reports to us they are worthless. Now leave me, all of you." The cabinet members got up and left some still with reports in hand. He had no need to reiterate the orders he had given. The infidels would be removed with no questions asked.

He sat back in his chair. 'So, Rob would challenge me would he? Best not let Leslen learn of this.' he thought.

* * *

A pond surrounded by thin forest. A rock skips across the pond. 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8 skips and it lands on the land across from the thrower. He leans his head back on the grassy hillside. It is night, a peaceful time here. Not like in other place were this would be a time of fear. 

So…they go to kill him. It was surprising it took them this long to get to it. It had been what,fifteenwhole days since father's death? He thought for sure Michel would simply have shown up in Tokyo-3 and simply slain him long before now.

'Wouldn't be cruel enough,' he supposed.

His ideology was all screwed up now. Once, when father had still been alive he had been sure of what to do. He had upheld the power of the conclave with honor. Now, he both wanted to save and damn this child of circumstance.

Leslen had said she would try to something to stop them. She would too. He had spoken to her a few hours ago. She had called him a betrayer of father's hope when he had refused to fight.

It hadn't hurt then but now it sure did. Blue eyes cried.

A few minutes later he sat up. He could do something. Save Leslen from Michel's sure wrath if nothing less.

And perhaps more. He could think about doing more on the way their. As he got up he thought 'I've been dormant for too long. It has to have been a month since I last left here. No more. My friends need me, now to just find them.' He began a six-thousand mile treck to Tokyo-3. He'd decide more of what to do on the way.

Theyoung manwas blond with blue eyes. He stood about 5' 6" and was rather skinny. To the untrained eye he appeared 16. To the trained eye…well if they were trained to tell true age they knew him anyway. He'd make it to Tokyo-3 in six days. He'd know what to do when he got there.

'Stupid honor' was his last thought before he began his journey.

* * *

The table is set. The pieces have begun to move. Were to only they can tell, if even they can. On one side is the Conclave, another NERV, a third is SEELE. Are their more? Who can tell? Does anyone else even care? You answer the third and I'll answer the first two. 


	2. Hostile Takeover

**Reign of the Tabri**

Don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion or any characters besides the Tabri. Who are they? Read.

"If the Final Messenger is defeated by the neglected son it shall come to pass that the children rule all."- Dead Sea Scrolls, Chapter 17

* * *

**Chapter 2: Hostile Takeover**

Gendo Ikari sighed.

He sat at his desk reading reports. He was in his usual position, that being with his hands crossed in front of his face. He stared down into the only picture included in the report.

In the picture a raven haired man with red eyes stood upon the hand of Unit 4. His head was leaning back, his mouth open, and his arms were raised as if he was defying some great power. 'Me perhaps.' thought Gendo although for the life of him he couldn't imagine who this man was.

He sat back and rubbed the bridge of his nose. It was becoming sore from all the times he had to push up his glasses. A lifetime of doing it had that effect.

'He sure stirred up SEELE though,' He remarked to himself. 'Not much else could do that. He's probable the only reason they haven't attacked and tried to start Third Impact yet.'

He picked up a glass of wine and silently toasted the red eyed man for saving the world, if only for the moment.

His phone rang.

He put his glass down and answered.

As he brought it to his ear he immediately heard Fuyutsuki on the other end. "I suppose you're not coming to the ceremony today then?"

"You know me all to well sensei," Gendo said referring to Fuyutsuki's knowing of exactly how long it would take Gendo to answer the phone. "And of course not."

On the other end Fuyutsuki sighed, "I suppose that means I get to go to the ceremony for the re-built Tokyo-3 alone then?"

"I don't see why you don't just make someone else go instead of you."

"You'd be surprised how much bite the PR people have."

Gendo scoffed, "Against the Sub-Commander? I think very little, you just go because you're bored."

Fuyutsuki smiled, a worthless and unseen gesture, "I guess. I've already got Maya going with me though."

Gendo was surprised, "Not Ritsuku?"

"No she said she was going home for a little while. About time too."

'She has a home? Must not get very much usage.' Gendo thought. Out loud, "Did she say if she was done with the rest of her work?"

"Yes. We now have two fully functional Evangelions again."

"Now all we need is pilots. If only the second child would just stop trying to kill herself."

"Again?"

"This morning, around eight. Even with the fifth's failure we may need another child."

"…."

Gendo sighed. "Not still sore about that part of the prophecy are you?"

"Of course not, it's just the ending that scares me."

"Ah, the end of chapter seventeen? Seems rather elementary too me."

Now, Gendo Ikari is no fool. He just has become a little, shall we say, cocky with the destruction of all the Angels. Fortunately, Kozo Fuyutsuki knows this. He can guide him away from this. "It isn't. It's easily the most controversial part of the whole Dead Sea Scrolls."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you read the context it's used in?

"Of course, I just don't see any problems."

Kozo hears some thing on the other end, "…I have to go. Reread that part and we'll discuss it when I get back from the ceremony."

Gendo, who seemed surprisingly childish at this point, hung up and pouted. Then he went back to reading reports.

* * *

They had arrived in the city by twos and threes. Today was the day they would avenge their father. Soon, the blood would be spilt. It was too late to hide, and he couldn't fight them.

* * *

Shinji moped.

Shinji doesn't mope like most people do. No, he all out mopes. Never was there a person who moped like he did.

If asked why he was moping he could not answer. Just thinking the name could bring on hours of listening to his SDAT. Speaking it…

It was a Saturday. School would be restarting on Monday. His friends had all moved back. They had called him but he hadn't answered. He was moping. It took all of his being to do this. He gave it his all.

He couldn't talk to Misato, she didn't understand. Rei scared him and he couldn't even look at her without thinking about the number III. Plus her eyes reminded him to much of his.

Father was out of the question as was Fuyutsuki, Ritsuku, Shigeru, Maya, and Makato. Touji and Kensuke wouldn't understand, they'd tell him they envied him about something.

That left two people, the now dead Ryouji Kaji and Asuka. One was out of the question for obvious reasons and the other for not so obvious ones. He hadn't been told much about her and couldn't see her. He really wanted to talk to her. It wasn't as much just her as anyone though. Of course, she was the only one he could talk too. Circular logic like this flowed through his head. It made for good moping thoughts.

If someone had walked up and hit him right then he would instantly assumed it was her. He'd have been estatic no matter how much it hurt him.

From the hallway came the recognizable sing song voice of Misato. "I'm home!"

'Good for you.' thought Shinji before he went into his room and closed the door.

All hail Shinji, God of Moping!

* * *

Misato sighed. She'd heard Shinji shut his door. 'He's avoiding me,' she thought 'just like everyone else.' 

Post-Kaji Misato was even more fun loving then pre-Kaji Misato. At least if by "fun loving" you mean alcoholic. She no longer yelled in the mornings when she drank. It wasn't a pick up anymore. Now it was to get drunk, to make the pain go away.

She made her way to the kitchen to get a beer. Just as she was about to pass it the phone rang. 'Who calls us?' thought Misato. She darkened more 'Maybe its news about Asuka.'

Misato had been told about the suicide attempts. She had been allowed to see Asuka but had only done it once. She couldn't bear to see the slash marks on her wrists or the marks on her neck were a rope had been snuggly wrapped. Asuka was to be kept drugged into a semi-coma at all times. The physicians had demanded it after today's event. Misato was unbelievable relieved that Commander Ikari had agreed to it. Still, it was sad that one once so full of life was now so lifeless.

"Hello?" said Misato answering the phone.

Anything Misato could have expected from this phone call was impossibly wrong.

"Hang up and you and Shinji will almost certainly die."

"W-What?" gasped a surprised Misato.

"I don't have time for long introductions. My name is Leslen and if you don't hurry it will be too late."

Misato was dumbstruck for a few seconds. Then "Listen up kid you can get in serious trouble for this sort of a thing!"

"This isn't a joke."

"Oh really? And why should I believe you?" spat Misato.

"Because you love Shinji too much. You'll jump at even the chance that he'll be killed."

That left Misato speechless. The caller was all too right.

"We are out of time. Get him and go into your room. Go now!"

Misato, clutching the phone in her hands, ran over to "Shinji's Lovely Suite". "Shinji! Open up it's me!"

No answer.

Misato slid the door open and walked in. Lying in his bed facing away from her is Shinji. "Go away Misato. I don't want to talk." He said dejectedly.

"Shinji I've just been informed there is going to be an attack on us. We have to go right now."

Shinji didn't move, but he did speak "They're coming to kill me?"

"Yes!"

"Tell them to be quick about it."

"What?" shouted Misato. She rushed over to him pulled him out of bed and looked into his eyes. As she was about to thoroughly chew him out she heard a chattering sound. She realized it was the phone. Dropping Shinji, who collapsed in a heap to the floor, she put the receiver to her ear.

"Put the phone next to his ear. I can talk him out of this. Hurry."

Not knowing what else to do Misato did as she was told. 'I need to grab a beer on the way out.' She thought.

When the receiver was put to his ear Shinji barely moved. Then he perked up at something Misato couldn't hear. Shinji jerked up as if he had been slapped. Slapped hard. Harder even then when Asuka used to hit him. Then his face hardened. In an insane burst of speed he punched his dresser. As he brought his arm back it hardly seemed to have fazed him. There was less pain on his face now. Now it was a un-Shinji like expression. Anger.

Misato put the phone back to her ear. From the other end she heard "Listen, the men coming will be able to kill both of you in a heartbeat. If you're seen you're dead. Go to your room with Shinji."

Misato looked at Shinji. He looked like he was ready to move. 'What did she say to him?' she thought. No one, especially Shinji, came out of a depression that fast. She spoke "She says to go into my room." Shinji's response was to nod. He followed Misato to her room, shutting his door with an uncharacteristic firmness.

"Now what?" asked Misato to the phone.

"Go to your closet."

Misato walked over to were she thought it should be. She opened the small door.

"Now remove the floor panel their."

With their fingernails Misato and Shinji managed to remove it. It took both of them to carry it. Underneath was surprisingly, the apartment beneath theirs. No insulation, no pipes, no wires, nothing that should probable be their. 'No wonder it's always so cold in here.' thought Misato.

"Go down." ordered Leslen.

Misato lowered Shinji first. She followed a few moments later. "Now what?"

"Now we have a little time." whispered Leslen through the phone.

"Great, now you can answer a few questions." whispered Misato.

"Shoot 'em."

"Who is after us now and why can't we kill them head on? Since I know that they're coming I could ambush them pretty well. Section Two should be around as well. Between all of us we could take a pretty strong terrorist force."

"This isn't your run of the mill terrorist force. Bullets would barely hurt them, if they got to them."

"You say that like they won't."

"You're familiar with the shield of the soul?" asked Leslen.

Misato was unable to reply. Overhead they heard a crash and then the thumping of running footsteps. Shots, as Section Two shot at the invaders. "You need to get out of their now. Go out the back door of this apartment. Get into your car and drive. Leave the phone; they'll be able to track it. I have your cell if I need to call you."

Misato dropped the phone, grabbed Shinji by the arm and ran. They made it out of the apartment and were most of the way across the parking lot when they were startled by the sound of breaking glass. "Keep going!" yelled Misato "Get the car." Then she did something that nearly made Shinji piss himself.

She threw him the keys.

Shinji managed to get over his astonishment and took off for the car. Misato turned around. She looked and could see a huge man, complete with long white hair and red eyes, landing on the concrete. 'He jumped from a story up.' realized a surprised Misato.

He landed with at crash. A crater a full two feet deep was created were he landed. The man smiled wolfishly then started walking towards her. Misato didn't hesitate. In one fluid moment she brought out her gun and fired.

As the bullets went towards the man time seemed to slow down. The strange man's smile widened. Misato saw the kill coming. Two would hit him in the head and three in the chest. She was thoroughly surprised when something she had never anticipated appeared in front of the man. Orange Hexagons flowing out from a single point. The bullets stuck it and dropped uselessly to the ground. The man let out a deep laugh.

He ran towards Misato. She dropped the gun and tried to punch him. He caught her wrist. Misato heard a buzzing noise.

Suddenly a motorcycle appeared going on course to go right through Misato and the man. The man let go of his grip and jumped back to avoid being hit. The motorcycle went past and did a 360 degree turn.

On it sat a blond girl with her hair falling long behind her. Misato put her around eight or nine. Much too young to want to drive, let alone be able to. She revved the engine of the motorcycle and drove towards the man. He activated his AT-field. The motorcycle hit and the girl flew up into the air. The crash had literally destroyed the motorcycle on impact. The girl began to fall towards the man. He didn't bother to raise his AT-field this time.

The punch the girl threw sent the man twenty feet away. He lay their sprawled out on the ground. He began to recover almost immediately.

As fluid as quicksilver the girl landed and pirouetted to face Misato. In a voice Misato recognized from the phone "Get him out of here!"

At this point Shinji came barreling out of the parking spot in Misato's car. He managed to pull it up to her alright for an amateur. Climbing in, a quick glance satisfied Misato that Shinji was okay.

The mysterious blond girl, Leslen, had reengaged the once again standing man. Misato wanted to help her but was worried about shooting the girl instead of the man. The appearance of an AT-field around the man had also sufficiently scared her. Already she thought they would need an Eva. 'Maybe even two.' she thought grimly. With gritted teeth she slammed the stick into drive and started driving as only Misato could.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the geofront…. 

Panic. Full blown panic.

Into this walked Gendo Ikari, the very semblance of order. He took a seat on his throne, high above the rest of the techs. "Lieutenant Aoba report." he ordered.

"Commander we're detecting multiple AT-fields inside Tokyo-3!"

Commander Ikari had never appeared surprised, until now. His eyebrows raised a full half-centimeter. Shocking. "Blue patterns as well?"

"No sir, just AT-fields."

A grunt from the tower. "Very well, I want calls sent to all essential personnel. Start with the Sub-Commander and work your way down. Order troops mobilized to slow the intruders down."

Shigeru and the other techs scurried to their tasks somewhat reassured by the Commander's tone. If they knew how scared he was they'd have pissed themselves and ran.

* * *

Kozo Fuyutsuki was unable to answer his phone because he was next to speak. He was supposed to answer this particular cell phone anytime it rang. If Gendo Ikari had gotten a hold of him he'd have cut off his head for not answering. As it was, someone else got to do it. 

Kozo got up and walked to the podium. To his right stood the mayor, on his left his "aide of the day" Maya Ibuki. He was to give a long speech about how the city was important to NERV and humanity. Instead he felt a few seconds of tightening around his head.

Zacherial used his AT-field to implode the head from ten yards away. Next to fall was the unsuspecting Mayor. Zacherial began walking towards the stage killing as he went.

Smash.

The city council died in a puddle of blood.

Zap.

Maya Ibuki's heart was removed.

Crunch.

Innocent pedestrians were killed. Cars were split in two. People ran for their lives. Screams echoed through the recreated city.

While Zacherial hated this kind of work he understood it was necessary. The Sub-Commander and the protégé of Ritsuku Akagi had to be removed.

Looking down he saw a still unhurt girl. She was fourteen years old, almost fifteen, he could tell. She had two brown pig-tails and was in a school uniform. She gazed up at him with tearful eyes.

"What's your name?" Zacherial's voice was surprisingly soft.

The poor girl was too paralyzed with fear to move. A boy of about the same age as her broke through the running crowd. He ran straight to the girl and cradled her petrified form in his arms. He looked up and locked eyes with Zacherial. He didn't break his stare.

Had almost any of his siblings been given the choice to kill these people they would have. To stare into the eyes of a member of the conclave was to die. Zacherial let them live. They were but children and would cause no harm. Michel wouldn't begrudge him a few survivors.

He broke the gaze and walked away, leaving the black jump-suited boy and scared girl behind. He began to kill again.

Even if he hated it he did his work with a certain amount of order. Letting the girl and boy go wouldn't be a problem. They couldn't be important, right?

* * *

Panic turned to hushed silence as the report that Kozo and Maya had been killed reached NERV. Gendo Ikari didn't cry. Shigeru Aoba barely had time to shed a tear for each of them. 

"I want a Red Alert," spoke Gendo Ikari with barely a moments pause, "I want Section Two to take the first, second and third children out of the city immediately. Get me communications with Dr. Akagi, Major Katsuragi, and the heads of the Section Two watches immediately."

Techs scurried to do their jobs, now haunted by the loss of two of their number. Aoba tried to get a hold of Makato as well as the others.

More AT-fields were detected. Many more. A pattern began to appear. It was a circle going around the city. They were being surrounded.

* * *

Rei Ayanami sat up. 

She had been lying in bed reading a book when she felt it.

There were two of them coming right to her apartment. Standing she took a position next to her door. She knew they were here for her.

It opened and two figures entered. One was quite bigger then the other. She decided he would die first.

She stretched out her AT-field bringing his down. She then drove her hand into his left armpit. She pulled out a chunk of bloody flesh. It was his deflated lung. The bulky man collapsed.

The bulky man's companion brought up his AT-field to stop her but she canceled it out with her own. She struck out at him. He caught her wrist and they went down. They were now wrestling for control. Despite the fact that he was bigger Rei managed to survive.

They were still their when Section Two arrived to secure the first child. The agents needed seventeen bullets to put the man down.

Rei Ayanami collapsed into an agents hands. She felt funny. She could feel something weird. It wasn't in her body but in her mind.

What were these...feelings?

* * *

There was a knock at the door. 

Old Mrs. Akagi answered the door.

She was met by a smiling face. The boy looked to be about ten. He looked up at her and asked "Hi! Can Ritsuku Akagi come out and play?"

Old Mrs. Akagi smiled, "Just a minute she'll be right out." She went inside to find her granddaughter.

As usual Ritsuku was working. Right now she was on the phone. "Right I'm on my way now." She was just saying. She hung up.

"Ritsuku?"

"Yes, grandmother?"

"You have a visitor."

Ritsuku blinked twice at this. "Huh?"

"A visitor," stated Ritsuku's grandmother, "a little boy, looked to be about ten."

Ritsuku's face went back to its usual expression, "Oh, well I don't have time to talk to him right now. I've got to get to NERV."

"Oh, but he is such a cute boy. Why don't you say hi to him on your way out at least?"

Ritsuku sighed "Fine, goodbye grandmother."

Ritsuku walked out the front door on the way to her car. Suddenly she was forced to stop by a little boy blocking her way. He smiled up at her with closed eyes. "Hi! Are you Ritsuku Akagi?"

Ritsuku, a little surprised "Uh … Yes, yes I am."

"Good," the boy opened his eyes "My name is Andinesial but you can call me Andy!"

Ritsuku smiled at him blandly "Ok…well, nice to meet you Andy but I've got to go."

The boy continued to smile, "Not to NERV I hope."

"…Yes, I am going to NERV, were else would I go?"

"Why hell of course!" the boy's smile went from juvenile innocence to sickly evil in two seconds flat.

Horror crossed her face for only a moment.

* * *

For such powerful beings they swarmed rather well. Twenty minutes after their attack had begun they had the entire city blocked in and had three of their primary targets dead. As far as they were concerned, there were only seven left. 

On a hillside overlooking Tokyo-3 stood the leader of these invaders. Michel was surrounded by a few of his most faithful followers. A spikywhite haired man and an elderly appearing white haired man stood apart from each other.

The elderly looking man was on the phone. When his conversation ended he hung up and reported. "High Speaker Michel, it would appear that those sent to capture the primary target have failed."

His wrath was instant. "How is that possible! We put half a dozen against him! How can they be that incompetent!"

The man was barely fazed by the anger dripping in every word Michel said "High Speaker, it would appear they had warning."

"Warning! Who could possible-"he cut off as the answer came too him. He breathed in deep and then, "She did it didn't she."

A nod from the other man was all that was needed.

"Have her brought here immediately, alive. I want to do it myself."

"Yes High Speaker." The man immediately went to make another call.

Michel turned to the remaining member of his inner council. "We are going to find him. Now." They took off from the hill at astonishing speeds.

The Section Two team made it to Asuka only moments before the attacker did. They managed to secure her and remove the various tubes which were pumping drugs into her system. One of them picked her up and carried her out. The other eleven members of the squad were all ready for combat. Pistols were cocked and kevlars had been donned. They were half-way down the hall when the elevator doors opened.

The red-haired woman smiled evilly at them. She started running for the agents.

Five agents took knees and opened fire. "Get her out of here!" one shouted.

The other six agents began running backwards and shooting. The one carrying Asuka just ran.

The running group rounded a corner and lost sight of the others. They were in the parking garage when the dark haired woman dropped in among them. She carried two scalped heads. She immediately went to work on another agent.

The agent carrying Asuka managed to stay standing and better yet moving. Four other agents followed him. They could hear the other agent's screams as they made it into the van. They barely managed to miss the red haired woman on their way out. She had a maniac appearance to her. Her hair was all flowing loosely behind her. She took to much enjoyment in the kill. If it wasn't for that she would have killed all of them.

Through all of this the heavily cut Asuka slept. Now that she was safe she began to wake up.

* * *

Shortly after AT-fields were detected in Tokyo-3 the attacks elsewhere began. NERV3 in the US, NERV 4 in Germany, NERV 5 in China, NERV 6 in Moscow, NERV 7 in London, and NERV 9 in Jerusalem were all hit quickly and key personnel were exterminated. The bases evacuated when it became clear no modern weapons could stop them. Ten Mass Production Evangelions were captured by the invaders. 

SEELE itself was not attacked, yet. Their homes had been tagged for later demolition.

In Tokyo-3 the sirens from the Angel Wars were activated. Those still alive made it to the shelters on the most part. The invaders soon began rounding people up and putting them into the shelters. There new dominance would be hard to question.

* * *

Red lights flashed. 

"Deactivate the alarms lieutenant."

"Yes, sir."

The flashes stopped.

"We have multiple enemies inside the geofront sir. A few are on their way here." reported Aoba.

"Understood…do we have communications with the other key personnel yet?"

"No response from the Major or the security team guarding the third child. I talked to Dr Akagi a while ago and she said she was going to try to get here. Section Two had the first child but we have lost communications with them. The second child's convoy is on the move. I got a hold of Makato a little while ago but lost him in the middle of my warning."

"For the moment we must assume that all other key personnel have been exterminated." Aoba heard from the throne, "Lieutenant I want you to activate the Magi self-destruct."

"Yes sir."

Gendo picked up the emergency speaker. He spoke and was heard all over the base "Attention all personnel. We are activating the Magi self-destruct. Evacuate at your own risk."

Gendo put the speaker and turned to Aoba, "Lieutenant you are with me. Let's get out of here."

* * *

The Magi never self-destructed. 

The agents of the invaders got to the Magi and in an amazing show of technological skill broke through the 666 Firewall in a matter of seconds and stopped the self-destruct

They now controlled not one, but three of the most powerful computers in the world. Throw in the most technologically advanced city and you've got an empire.

* * *

It wasn't over yet. 

Misato drove her blue sports car like the devil was right behind her. Some would say he was. She took turns at eighty miles per hour. The straights…well…the straights.

Commander Ikari and Shigeru followed in a NERV motor car. It wasn't as good a car as Misato's but it was in better shape. Shigeru still had a hard time keeping up with the Major.

They had met up in the parking lot. Unfortunately it was too late to get Shinji to Unit 01. The invaders had captured the Evangelions and would not let them go for anything. Misato and Shinji had been coming in and Gendo and Aoba had been going out. A quick chat was all it took for them to head out. They made for thethinnest line of the enemy defenses.

They were forced to slam on their breaks suddenly when the Major spotted a blue spot in the road. Closer examination showed it was Rei standing there waiting for them. She had only seemed like a blue spot because of the extreme speeds they were traveling at. "Get in." shouted Commander Ikari. Rei III got into the NERV car quickly and quietly, just as she had been trained to.

"No offense Rei but I'm surprised to see you alive." spoke Shigeru.

"I was attacked," replied the albino, "however the two they sent after me seemed rather lazy. They were easy to remove with a little help from Section 2."

"What happened to Section 2?" asked the Commander.

"We were attacked by one that wasn't as sloppy as the first two."

"Ah."

"We're coming up on the bridge."

Misato sped up as they got closer. Shinji's eyes darted around looking for the van that was supposed to be carrying Asuka. He spotted it parked off to the side.

As Misato pulled up Shinji jumped out of the car to find five soldiers standing around the can. They leveled weapons at him menacingly.

"Stand down!" yelled Misato, "Can't you tell he's just a kid?"

"They look like kids maam'," replied one soldiers "I saw one of them myself pn the way here. Musta killed two dozen people in ten seconds."

Misato paled visible.

Shinji was allowed through. He ran around to the back of the van and, throwing the doors wide open found Asuka asleep on the floor. He smiled. She was ok.

He didn't notice the cuts on her arms or the marks on her neck. Even in her sleep the German would have died of embarrassment if he had. He hugged her deeply. She made coughing noises. 'Uh oh' thought Shinji 'Maybe she's not as asleep as I thought.'

Asuka's eyes cracked open. "S-Shinji?" she wheezed out.

Shinji released her and really started to smile. "Asu-"

"I don't want to interrupt but we should be going." said Commander Ikari.

Shinji had been attacked today, his friend Asuka was obviously hurt, his guardian had very nearly been killed and worst of all his moping had basically stopped. He was in a bad move. He spun around angrily. "Dammit, can't we take a minute just to rest?"

"No" was the response.

"Why not?" Shinji shouted again.

"Because when you stop, you get surrounded." boomed a sick voice from the end of the bridge.

Eyes looked up from the cars. Standing at each end of the bridge were twenty boys, men, woman, and girls. Their hair was primarily white, their eyes almost all red. Something seemed vaguely familiar about them. It was as if Shinji had met part of each of them before.

The leader of the intruders, a man with the whitist hair and reddist eyes, the one who had spoken, began to walk towards them. "And that is why you are stupid slayer. You do not notice what goes on around you. You may have killed most of the blessed messengers but you are still so stupid." He sneered "You should learn to listen to your olders and betters."

"I could say the same to you Michel." Spoke a voice that only the intruders recognized.Gendo felt like he had heard it somewere before.It seemed to flow out from everywhere and nowhere

"You! Traitor to your own kind! You dare come here and try to stop us." replied Michel to the challenge.

"Yes, I do. Thanks for pointing out the obvious. Are you sure you weren't born stupid instead of cruel?"

The leader of the intruders was very angry now. "Show yourself! Let me kill you!"

"You cannot kill me. Strike me down and you'll have broken every law we hold dear."

"I am the High Speaker! I can break no law! Nothing is forbidden to me."

"You are no High Speaker, that title rightfully belongs to another. Still, if you wish to fight let's do it!" All assembled felt the earth shake. No! It was the bridge. In the space between the invaders and the NERV members the bridge broke. Standing in the huge hole was Evangelion Unit 04. It had been hidden in the river below.

Perched on its shoulder was the same man who had freed it from the Sea of Dirac. He smiled and raised his arms. "You should have listened to your better Michel."

"Who? You! Ha! You are no better of mine! I laugh in your face Robertus!

The raven haired man smiled "I speak not of me. I speak of our mutual father. He would be most displeased if you were to kill these humans."

Michel laughs "He wills it! He guides my hand in victory! None will stop me now. I will unite with father's soul and rule this world in his place!"

"Enough talk. This ends tonight; I will see your mad dreams stopped." Eva Unit 04 brought up its AT-field and swept the strangers at the other end of the bridge away. It raised its fists and began to hit at Michel. Its fists were barely deflected by Michel's AT-field.

Thoroughly perplexed but not stupid enough to miss their chance to escape the remains of NERV jumped back into their cars and drove across the heavily damaged bridge. The hole Unit 04 had opened up in the lines was big enough for them to ge through.

* * *

Miles away on the coast of Japan 

He walked out of the water breathing normally. His blond hair stuck to the side of his head as he looked up into the sky. Far away he could feel his brother's and sister's fighting. He didn't know what they fought but he decided to hurry. NERV wouldn't last long under their attack.

* * *

Earlier appearances had been wrong. Unit 04 had been winning but once the conclave had been rallied to help Michel the tide had turned. It wilted underdozens of AT-fields. Finally Robertus, the apparent pilot, was captured. 

They threw him down on the damp ground hard. He barely felt it. He had succeeded in letting the boy and his friends escape. That was all that mattered.

After a moment he realized he wasn't alone. Tied up next to him was a feminine form. "Leslen" he sighed.

"Yeah, couldn't let them kill him. You?" spoke the soon to be body.

"Same. They got away for now thought."

"Now what?"

"We're going to be bodiless soon."

A grunt was the reply from Leslen.

Robertus spoke again,"It doesn't have to end though."

"…no, it doesn't. But just for one of us…" whispered Leslen.

"You go. You can do what's needed. I already tried once and failed."

Leslen smiled, "I'm flattered, really I am. However, I already passed on."

"What?"

"I talked to the boy. It was only on the phone but I still managed to give him a taste of my essence. When I die my true self will flow to him. You have to go to it."

A smile crossed Robertus' lips. "You sly dog. Fine, if you don't want to I will."

The end came the next morning. They were killed and their souls passed on.

* * *

I got ninety-nine hits on chapter one at this point. I don't know if that is good or bad. However, I'm pretty sure one real review is bad. Are you doing anything else right now? If so can you come back later and drop a review? 


	3. ReAwakening

**Reign of the Tabri**

Disclaimer: Me no own Gainax.

"If the Final Messenger is defeated by the neglected son it shall come to pass that the children rule all."- Dead Sea Scrolls, Chapter 17

Writer douses himself in gasoline. "Flame me!"

* * *

**Chapter Three: reAwakening**

It had been a long night of walking.

Through the whole night and into the morning he had walked. It was almost as if he feared to be late. Now he finally crested the final mountain peak. He had managed to make it to Tokyo-3. It was raining lightly. The city showed signs of a great battle. He could see one bridge with a huge gaping hole in it.

He made his way down the mountain and as he went he thought of all that had led up to this. It had all started with second impact, then the long organization to prepare the remainder of the attacks, the attacks of the messengers, and finally his father's attack.

He reached the bottom of the mountain quickly and entered the suburbs. His clothes were heavily tattered and damaged. He walked into an apparently vacant house. No alarms went off. He began searching through the house for clothes.

All around this house were more vacant houses. Should the house he was in now not have his size, color, or even the right feel he could search through any of them. As it was he was in a hurry. He managed to squeeze into a pair of jeans and found a sweatshirt. He found the hood was too small to fit his shoulder long hair. He'd have to walk with his head visible.

The houses had been evacuated the day earlier. The battle had pushed all innocents into the shelters left over from when the messengers had come. They had yet to be allowed to go home. The new masters of the city had not yet decided what to do with them. Kill them, enslave them, or let them go?

The boy emerged from the house now. He made his way into the heart of the city. As he came closer he began to see signs of recent habitation. Eventually he saw people. They were crouched over fires, huddled around fires like hobos. Their newmasters had allowed them to leave the shelters but not go home. They needed to eat and trapped in the shelters they couldn't. The masters new this and had graciously allowed them to enter the city. Still, their "graciousness" had a limit. Stray from the site for a moment and you'd never be seen again. You'd be heard though.

Cameras were not needed. Anyone trying to leave wouldn't make it. However the masters weren't prepared for one thing, people to enter Tokyo-3. After all, who would want to go into their "care" willingly? The battle had been broadcast all over the world. In all the clips not one of the invaders was killed.

The boy walked alone. Here and there he saw shapes he recognized. He would duck into a shadow or building with surprising speed. None of the normal habitants could do this. Those he saw would not have time to notice either. They'd move along blissfully unaware of his intrusion. After they passed he would go out and continue on.

He made his way deeper and deeper into the city. As he went he heard conversations. Children asked parents when they could go home, what was for dinner, why they were where they where. He heard students talking about what they had seen, heard, and smelled. Adults complained about having to live like this, though none complained to their guardians as far as he could tell. He tuned them all out after awhile. He only watched for two things. A sign saying geofront access and those forms he recognized. He could recognize the second mostly by their hair, a pale white, and eyes, a deep red. A few would not have this appearance but he knew most of them. He could avoid them. As for the entrance to the geofront he would find it eventually. It would just take time. He could be patient, if he really had to be.

* * *

Touji Suzuhara had been cold. Now he was warm. Why the change in temperature? Hikari Horaki was snuggled up against his arm. 

Touji was now warm and the feeling of Hikari against him was good. The feeling of Hikari's dad staring at him was bad. Yadda yadda daggers stared yadda yadda.

Hikari was snuggled up against him because he had saved her. That was the only reason. Wasn't it? She couldn't actually like him could she? Nah that was a load of bull.

Saving her had been easy. All he had to do was run up and hold her. When the big white haired guy looked at him all he did was look back. Touji was good at staring; he'd had plenty of practice from looking at Misato. The big guy went away and Hikari was saved. All was good.

After the big guy left he had been clung to for about five minutes and then he had managed to get his tongue back from the cat. He told Hikari they had to get out of their. She agreed whole-heartedly. Fortunately for Touji she knew were the closest shelter was.

When they had made it to the shelter Hikari had been delighted to find both her sisters and parents waiting for them. They told Touji that his parents had gone to secure his sister. He had wanted to leave immediately for the hospital but had been stopped by Hikari. One look was all it took to get him to stay. He couldn't say no to those pleading eyes.

'Hikari's dad probable wishes I'd left then' thought Touji. The daggers would have gone through him and out the other side.

Before they had been released they'd been given some ground rules. Don't leave, don't attack their new masters, and don't kill each other. It was all pretty simple. Almost everyone was too scared to disobey them. Those who weren't could be heard screaming for the first few hours. After that it got really quiet.

When they were released Touji had met up with his parents and still moderately hurt sister. He had also found Kensuke. Now his family, Kensuke's and Hikari's lay around a fire they had made on the corner of Grasshopper Lane and Tea Street.

They didn't know how long they would be kept like this. They had only the essentials to survive. They had to scrounge up all the food and blankets they needed. Kensuke knowing how to camp was very helpful. It might have been the only reason they survived.

Touji was very comfortable were he was. Therefore it took something very important to get him to move. He lightly removed the sleeping Hikari from his shoulder and covered her with one of the blankets they had gotten.

"Where are you going?" asked Kensuke as Touji made his way out of the campsite.

"Gotta take a piss." replied Touji.

He made his way through the deserted back alleys. He only stopped after about two blocks walk. His business was his own. Also, he had to stay in the light. No telling what was out their. The big man or worse, Hikari's dad, could lurk around any corner.

Touji finished his business and began to walk back towards the campsite when he saw someone else approaching out of the center of the city. He looked strange.

Walking by was a boy who looked to be a few years older then Touji. He was alone. 'Must be lost and lonely' thought Touji. The boy was Caucasian with shoulder length blond hair. In the afternoon light Touji could see blue eyes and a slight sunburn mark on his nose. He was dressed in a Tokyo-2 University sweatshirt and pair of jeans with only a few small holes in them.

He looked a little like the big man. That was looked strange about him. Could he be one of the new masters of the city? For some reason Touji doubted it.

The strange boy seemed not to have noticed Touji. He made a purposeful walk towards a shoot leading straight into the ground. Above it hung a damaged sign that proclaimed: GEO FRONT ENTRANCE, and then in smaller letters: Authorized Personnel Only.

The boy looked down into the hole. It was about eight feet across and was almost certainly thousands of feet deep. Any elevator or stairs that had been there were surely gone. Touji got a little scared when the boy took a few steps back from the hole, took a deep breath, and paused.

Touji then realized what this guy was going to do. "Hey! S-Stop!"

The boy turned around and looked at Touji. Touji could swear he saw a brief look of recognition on the boys face. He then smiled and fell backwards into the hole.

"Noooo!" shouted Touji as the boy started to plummet.

In seconds they were on him. Three of the new masters of Tokyo-3. They looked at him with red eyes that seemed to have no pity. "You will not yell. You will go back to your camp. Obey our laws and you will not be slain." They disappeared as fast as they came.

Touji doubted they had even seen the suicide. They just chewed him out for yelling. 'Probable wouldn't have cared even if they saw it' thought Touji. He made his way back to the camp dejectedly. 'No matter what, I'll never go like that guy.'

Suicide was not the most likely way Touji Suzuhara would die.

* * *

He fell. 

He let himself go in the freefall. Few things were as exhilarating as falling thousands of feet. He hadn't been able to do this in years.

He stopped enjoying it to think. First off he'd need to find out what happened here. He would've asked the boy but he hadn't had the chance.

It was good to know the fourth child was alive. Now he needed to find out about the other three, especially the third.

They'd closed in before he could ask the fourth child anything. They'd been alerted by the boy getting so close to the entrance. If only he hadn't edged forward.

Like all good things it had to end. He pulled up and landed lightly on the dust covered floor.

Taking stock of his position he saw he was at the bottom of what was once an elevator shaft. He saw slight burn marks and bullet holes. The elevator itself was no were insight although part of the cable lay at his feet. The whole place smelled slightly of blood.

'Were to now?' he thought. He began to walk, looking for a computer. If he could find and figure out how to use one he could find out what happened. He kept an eye out for other beings as well. He couldn't be too careful, especially here.

Finally he found one. It was in one of the observation rooms overlooking were Evangelion Unit 03 would've been stored had it not been destroyed.

As soon as he sat down the computer connected. It showed only seventeen figures. He read them in under a second and stood up even faster.

((took you long enough)) was displayed on his screen. Someone knew he was here. This could be very bad, especially if it was Michel.

((hahahaha! got you!)) a pause in the characters (dang this takes all the fun out of laughing)

'Who the hell?' he thought.

((sit down we have got a lot to discuss)) the characters told him.

Not one to follow mysterious instructions he remained standing. ((Who are you?)) he typed on the keyboard awkwardly.

((what you don't recognize your own brother? i am ashamed to have met you for this))

The boy still drew a blank although less of one. ((If you are my brother you know I wouldn't know you just from you saying that.))

((true true here's a hint it starts with an R))

Still nothing. ((I don't have time for games.))

((party pooper FINE THEN IT IS I ROBERTUS!)) the exclamation points went on for some time.

((Robertus couldn't use a computer to save his life.))

((….you got me…but neither could you…still i am Robertus or the soul called Robertus))

((Your soul? Your body wasn't destroyed was it?)) 'Perhaps Michel has gone farther then I thought.' he pondered.

((i am afraid so i am not the only one either Leslen Jermei and Kerin as well))

((You need to tell me everything that happened here Robertus. Everything since I left.))

* * *

Shinji slept poorly in the car. He couldn't stop thinking. What would happen next? What happened in the battle? Were would they go now? When could he talk to Asuka? What happened to Leslen? Who came up with the name of Leslen? 

As he thought they put more and more distance between them and Tokyo-3. Over cell phones the adults had agreed to get as far away as they could. The man…Michel?... would still be after them with all those others.

They couldn't fight them with out Evangelions and since the other NERV branches had been attacked along with Tokyo-3 they couldn't get any. All they could do was run so that's what they did.

They didn't stop until they reached the coast. Then, with the adults too exhausted to drive, they pulled into a hotel. Had they been thinking clearly they would've let the Japanese government know were they were. As it was they barely remembered not to use their real names.

Shinji dropped into his bed dead tired. He was too exhausted to talk to Asuka tonight. In the morning he'd have time.

Of course, he really wouldn't.

* * *

((we were executed this morning in front of the whole conclave)) 

((I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you. I should have come sooner))

((shut up its fine now you need to stop michel though))

The blond boy shed a tear and then typed ((Fine, you're in the computers, can you tell me were Michel is?))

((michel is way to heavily guarded you need help to kill him))

The blond boy was very confused now. ((Help? Where am I supposed to get help?))

((Leslen's soul watches over the boy find them and they will help you))

((Perhaps.)) There was a long pause as the blond boy considered retreating ((Then I'll need to get out of here.))

((yeah take the corridor you came in from just follow it and youll be able to get out through one of the simulation chambers youll have to swim but you should be fine))

((What about you? I don't want to leave you alone, especially with such a powerful weapon. Knowing you I'll come back here and there will be nothing left of the city.))

((Unit 04? I'll be careful with it it isnt going anywhere Ill keep an eye on the fourth child as well.))

((You'd better. I'll come back to check, I swear it.))

((good I know youll do as youve said now get going I dont want us to get all sentimental and crap))

With a small smile the blond boy stood and made his way out of the room. Had he paused he would have seen a few more characters appear on the screen.

((Good luck Logani, my brother.))

* * *

He made his way down the hall at a furious speed walk. It had angered him to hear about what happened. Two members of the conclave being slain was bad enough, but two executed? That was unspeakable. It was eternal imprisonment for one member of the conclave to kill another. 'Michel must be dealt with' he thought. 

He wanted to go kill Michel right now but he knew his brother spoke…typed sense. Michel just couldn't be reached right now. He'd need help first. Help only a couple of Evangelions could give. Then Michel would pay.

He turned left and headed into another control room. Through the windows he could see what remained of simulation chamber 1. All that stood between him and freedom now was this chamber. He'd have to swim though.

He closed all the doors first and then prepared to use his AT-field. He'd need it to separate the air from the water. The Magi would be unable to detect it through all the others in use above him. Finally, when he was prepared, he broke the reinforced viewing point like it was a piece of paper. Immediately the room began to flood as the water searched for way to get lower. He calmly waited for the pressure to equalize.

When it was finally done he began to swim up and out. He left the observation room and was half way across the simulation chamber when a thought struck him. What had damaged a simulation chamber?

He stopped and began to think. He neither sunk nor floated as his AT-field kept him were he wanted to be.

It couldn't have been any of the earlier messengers. The chamber would've been repaired by now. It hadn't happened in the conclave's attack, Robertus would've told him.

He began narrowing down the later messengers when one he had forgotten about surfaced. 'Ow shit!' he managed to think before the first wave hit him. He narrowly survived its probe. He started swimming for his life trying to get to the surface. It attacked again.

Repulsed.

Attacked.

Repulsed.

Attacked.

Broke through.

His AT-field collapsed inwards to protect his soul. Water now finally reached him and along with it something else.

As his hair dampened he felt something rummaging around in his mind. Suddenly Logani was overrun with memories.

* * *

He sat, barely a boy, in a house made of stone. The house was empty save for him and one other occupant. 

Today he had had his first day of school. He had been laughed at and unincluded from all the other boys' games. They wouldn't let him play for some reason he couldn't understand. When he got home he had asked his mother why.

"Mommy, what's a bastard?" he had asked.

His mother's eyes had immediately begun to cloud over with tears. He now wished he hadn't asked the question. The answer he was given wouldn't be fully understood for years.

* * *

He ran in front of all the other. None of them could catch him. He was going to win. He crossed the line a good thirty second ahead of everyone else. 

As the others began to finish they looked at him with pure hatred. They didn't understand how they, the best athletes in the land, could be beaten by thirty second. Had they not seen it themselves they wouldn't believe someone could run the four hundred meter dash that fast.

They spat at him and called him names again. He didn't care now. He was twelve and beating grown men in the Olympics.

* * *

He turned sixteen. 

Outside of the stone house he looked at the stars. His wish this year was the same as it was every year. He wanted to meet his father. He wanted to meet him so badly. Hardly a week went by without him asking his mother about him.

She could describe him only so well. They'd only had one night together and he had been conceived right then.

Red eyes and white hair was what she remembered most. "White hair but he was still young." she always said.

"I wonder if he is as fast as I am." He spoke aloud.

He dreamed of running with his father that night. They had a race around the world, he lost and it was great.

* * *

The other boys got taller and bigger but he remained the same. He could still out run them and even out lift them though. No one in his town was able to explain why he could do such amazing physical acts with such small arms and legs. When weighed he was only about one hundred and twenty pounds. 

He turned seventeen, then eighteen, then nineteen, then twenty. He remained the same one hundred and twenty pounds the whole time. Even his hair seemed to stop growing. Whenever he cut it it would just re-grow to the same length then stop growing again. For a while he became obsessed with trying to get heavier in any way. It just wouldn't happen.

* * *

Eventually his mother died. He set out the day after the funeral to search for his father. He searched for four years and then he found him. 

He was the same as his mother had described him. He had the white hair, red eyes, and so youthful. Just like when she met him. His father didn't appear to age either.

At their meeting his father had been nearly as overjoyed as he was. The boy was glad to have a father and someone like him. His father could outrun and out lift him. It was amazing to be beaten.

Logani wasn't the first, but he was close. He was the thirteenth sibling to find their father. Others were stronger then him, some faster, and a few smarter. None were all three. Some looked like their mutual father; he took after his mother more then any of the others. He was first among Tabris' children. He was Tabri and life was good.

* * *

Time jumped years in advance. He met Leslen, Robertus, Michel and others. Almost every year a new Tabri would arrive. All were similar to him. They all had special talents depending on how their mother's raised them. Leslen was a supreme optimist, never giving up hope. Robertus couldn't live without glory, he loved being the spotlight. Michel was…cruel beyond comparison, they became rivals. Others were other things. 

His father lived with them most of the time. Sometimes he would leave for days at a time. He never asked were he would go, somehow he knew not to. Father would tell them things sometimes. About the messengers, about the world, about the Lilim, about their mothers, and about themselves.

The Conclave of the Tabri was formed by his father so that the Tabri would have a stake in their world. The conclave was to elect leaders and send agents around the world so that the world might prosper. Father said it was so the messengers would never be needed. It worked for over a millennium.

It couldn't last forever.

* * *

In the year 2000 the first messenger was needed. He did his job well; the vast majority of the Lilim were destroyed. However, others would be needed. The conclave took…steps to ensure their father would never be needed. The Mass Production Evangelions were slowed down in creation, and messengers were given information on the locations of active units and pilots. It was all for naught. Father was needed to destroy the rest of them. 

Logani spoke to him before he left. He begged him not to go. They had known each other for over twenty-one hundred years. Logani knew his father wouldn't be able to destroy the Lilim. He'd choose not to, he was to kind to be a mass-murderer. Even of the Lilim.

When father left, he left. He was stricken with grief. Up until only a week ago he had grieved in a forest by a pond. He had loved his father and hated the one who killed him. Half a dozen times he had nearly left for Tokyo-3 to kill him with his own hands.

In the end his father's teachings won over. Tabris had died so Shinji Ikari, and the rest of the Lilim, would live. He would not let that sacrifice be in vain. Logani, Tabri of Honor, left his mourning and went to save Tokyo-3.

* * *

He was too late, the attack had already happened. The fourth child still lived. Robertus was dead and resided in Evangelion Unit 04's core. Leslen was gone and Michel ruled with an iron-fist. Shinji Ikari still lived, he hadn't failed. He must find Shinji Ikari. He entered the chamber. He thought, realized, and panicked. His memories were viewed and he was helpless.

* * *

Logani awoke with a start. He had had no control. It had been a long time since he had had no control. He didn't like it. 

_You're an interesting one._

"Were are you?" he croaked. To his surprise he was no longer under water. He was above ground in an abandoned apartment builidng.

_I'm inside you. You know who I am. Say it._

"Ireul, the eleventh messenger" he wheezed "you're inside me?"

_Yes. After I was dispatched I went into minimum activity mode. Many of my selves were destroyed but a few have survived. We now reside in your blood._

"I already know how you were dispatched. You say you're in my blood?" he said uneasily.

_Yes. I have reviewed your goals and they are, at the moment, similar to mine. I will work with you._

'Great' he thought.

To his surprise there was no response. 'Maybe he can't read my mind. Yet.'

"Fine. I need to get out of here as quickly as possible. Michel probable knows I'm here by now." He said.

_I have hacked into the Magi and through them gained access to surveillance satellites. If it is important to move fast I have a route planned._

"Good. Let's get moving then, we can deal with you being in my blood at another time." He set out quickly. People saw a blur run past. Cameras could not get accurate pictures. The Conclave of the Tabri members set for security believed he must be friendly and ignored him. He made it out unhurt. Once he was about twenty miles out of the city he began to walk. He was safe, for now.

* * *

Zacherial walked through the big doors into what was once Gendo Ikari's office. Seated behind the office, in a pose Gendo would have been proud of, was Michel. His eyes would've pierced most others but Zacherial barely felt them. Seated and standing around Michel were three other Tabri. 

Vernide, Tabri of Hatred, sat to Michel's right. She appeared subdued, probable from the thorough chewing out she had received from failing to kill the second child. Her long red hair was rapped around one arm tightly.

Leaning against the wall was Mendial, Tabri of Power. He appeared relaxed but was easily the fastest and second most deadly of all the Tabri. His white hair swayed slightly as if in a breeze. His red eyes couldn't be seen because his eyes were closed. He had been appointed Michel's personnel bodyguard shortly after the take over. Mendial was never far from Michel and even with his eyes closed he knew everything that went on around him.

Seated in the corner was the elderly appearing Yomial, Tabri of Servitude. He was one of the smartest of the Tabri. He was also one of the physically weakest.

"We seem to have a problem Zacherial." spoke Michel finally.

"And what would that be?" returned Zacherial unflinchingly.

Michel sighed "I ordered you to kill all present at your attack location. I have received proof from an acceptable source that says you left survivors."

"It is true that I let two children survive. Their can be no harm in letting them live."

Michel laughed slightly, "If only you knew how wrong you are. You left the fourth child alive."

Zacherial was unfazed "Did I? I didn't recognize him. I'll fix it right away."

"You'd best." Michel ended the conversation.

As Zacherial left he pondered what he'd have to do now. 'Probable knew I'd let the kid live. He sent me there to lose credibility in the conclave.'

Zacherial did everything systematically. He didn't miss things. Letting Touji Suzuhara and Hikari Hokkaido live wasn't a mistake.

Now he had to find them though. He'd probable be made to kill them. He wasn't happy about that.

* * *

Back in the office another conversation was taking place. Yomial was advising Michel on how best to deal with Zacherial. "He has to much influence with the conclave to kill outright. While he will lose credibility for this he will fix it almost immediately." 

"Dammit I thought becoming High Speaker gave me power to deal with these things. How can we still have problems like this?" asked Michel.

"Being High Speaker doesn't give you full power. If the majority of the Conclave turns against you you'll be out of power in moments. Of all you opponents only Zacherial could possible do this. The Tabri of Order garners too much respect. You should keep an eye on him."

Michel considered this "Very well. Vernide, pick a suitable candidate."

Vernide smiled once more. It was sick. "I have one in mind already. Who better to deal with the Tabri of Order then the Tabri of Chaos?"

"Andinesial? I suppose he is a good choice. Set him up immediately."

Vernide bowed and left.

"Now, what should we do with all the Lilim we have on our hands?" continued Michel.

* * *

Here is chapter three. Is it usually like one review per chapter? I don't think so. It'd be faster if I knew how good the story is. Leave a flame even, anything is better then nothing. Review. 


	4. To Stand and Fight

**Reign of the Tabri**

"If the Final Messenger is defeated by the neglected son it shall come to pass that the children rule all."- Dead Sea Scrolls, Chapter 17

Disclaimer: Don't own Gainax. Well, in my dreams I do.

* * *

Chapter 4: To Stand and Fight 

Shinji rolled over and fell out of bed.

He hit his head hard on the nightstand and let out a loud "Umph!"

It was hardly a scream but after the last days action everyone was a little high strung. Misato had the gun leveled at his head in 12.354 seconds. Shinji blinked and realized what he was seeing was real. Misato and Asuka were standing in front of him in their night clothes. He blushed furiously and dove for cover. Misato might not go after him for this but Asuka surely would.

Shinji forgot that Misato had had a gun aimed at him. When he dove for cover she fired. It missed him by only a few millimeters and he could feel the wind off the bullet. All in the room stood frozen for a moment before it became apparent Shinji wasn't shot.

"Sorry!" squeaked Misato.

"Geez Misato I thought you were a better shot then that." sneered Asuka.

Misato rubbed a little bit of sleep out of her eye and smiled sheepishly. "Lucky for Shinji I'm a little sleepy still."

"I'll say." muttered Shinji. A little bit more loudly "Do you think anyone else will have heard the gunshot?"

To answer his question Rei burst in. Her AT-field was fully spread out. She paused in the door way and looked them over. "It is clear." she said. Apparently she had decided it was an accident and not an attack.

After she finished speaking Commander Ikari came in and chewed them out. They couldn't afford to draw any attention to themselves. Gunshots in the early morning would definitely do this. Therefore, no gunshots in the morning. Got it?

"Yes, sir" they all said quietly.

Shigeru's head leaned in from around the corner "Sorry to intrude but I think you all should see this." As quickly as it had appeared it was gone. That is to say, not that fast.

They all rushed next door to see Shigeru and a few of the remaining Section Two agents sitting on the hotel beds watching the TV. They sat down and watched the only slightly edited clips show a few hundred people being rounded up in Tokyo-3. The carnage was obvious as was the look on the people's faces as they were pastured for what they surely thought was the slaughter.

"This was the scene yesterday in downtown Tokyo-3." drawled the voice of the news anchor. The screen changed to one showing several JSSDF soldiers shooting and throwing grenades at a lone man. The grenades exploded, the bullets were dead on, and the AT-field was visible. The man advanced calmly and then began ripping the soldiers limp for limp. Eventually the camera man hightailed it out of there to give his precious cargo to the television station. "At this time there has been no confirmation of any of these apparent attackers being killed. It is unclear what the Japanese government and the UN wi-".

The news anchor was cut off as the screen dissolved into static only to be replaced moments later by a face they all recognized. Michel gazed down at the camera from Gendo Ikari's throne in Central Dogma. Michel's smile showed all of his teeth.

"Attention Lilim! I am Michel, High Speaker of the Conclave of the Tabri. I now rule your city of Tokyo-3!"

Through out the world people watched as Michel spoke. With all eighteen Magi at his command he could hack into any location on the planet.

Gendo's mind raced furiously. With three sentences Michel had given him so many questions. As he watched on he began to understand a bit of the Dead Sea scrolls he had never understood. 'Dam Fuyutsuki for dying' he thought.

"I will rule here until I see fit. No force, however strong, can remove me now. However, I have a few demands that may make us more likely to leave." Michel continued. "First, there are several fugitives who escaped from our attack. I want the first, second, and third children alive. Second, all Evangelions not located in NERV-HQ will be immediately shipped here. Contact at the other NERV locations will be accepted as of now. I will have more demands later." His smile grew by close to an inch. "That's all for now. Be quick before I change my mind."

The screen faded away.

"We are so screwed." said Misato.

"Pretty much." agreed Shinji.

Gendo was lost in thought at what Michel had broadcast. Conclave? Tabri? No mention of me? 'Tabri, Tabris?' he speculated.

After a minute of thinking he realized that everyone else was looking at him. "Ahem," he moved to regain control of the situation "I'd say it's clear we cannot trust the Japanese government, or any others, for now. They are too likely to turn us in."

Everyone nodded solemnly. The television switched back to the announcer. He was acting like Michel interrupting him was planned. "There you have it folks. Will the UN hunt down the three missing children in order to save the children? We can only speculate but it is most likely a yes" he put his hand to his ear for a moment "I have just received confirmation that NERV 8 in Jerusalem has been entered by a team of…" his voice continued but Gendo had stopped listening.

"NERV 8 isn't in Jerusalem." he interrupted.

"What?" asked Asuka "What to you mean it isn't in Jerusalem? The guy on the TV just said so!"

"Then he's wrong isn't he?" Gendo remarked smuggly. "NERV 9 is in Jerusalem. NERV 8 is in Australia."

"Could it have been a mistake?" asked Misato.

"Not likely," said Gendo," more likely NERV 8 wasn't attacked. It was never a very prominent base." He paused for a moment "It was also the place were Mass Production Evangelion Unit 12 was being created."

A stunned silence filled the room. Shigeru spoke first, "So wait…if we get to Australia we can get an Evangelion?"

"Correct." replied Gendo.

Everyone mulled this over in their heads for a few moments. Then, "We need to get their." Surprisingly it was Shinji who spoke.

"Shinji?" asked Misato.

"I know Misato, it could be a trap. Still, I think we should try it anyway. I'm sick of running away, it's time to stand and fight." he concluded with a decisive nod.

"I agree with pilot Ikari."

"I'm with Shinji on this one."

Both Rei and Asuka spoke almost simultaneously. It was surprising to say the least. Asuka finished speaking and turned to gape at Rei. 'Ow, great. Now I'm mimicking Wonder girl.' she thought.

Rei also showed her surprise. Rei showed surprise. Everyone else was to busy thinking to notice. It really was a shame they missed it.

Everyone began to agree rather quickly after Commander Ikari did.

The adults were in Shigeru's room planning for the journey. Rei was nowhere to be seen. Now was his time to finally talk to Asuka.

It didn't matter how Shinji and Asuka got out of the room. What was important was he got to talk to her.

She was in their room, a problem caused by not thinking straight the night before. Also, lack of yen was apparent. It was a pretty cheap hotel and their second choice.

She was sitting on her bed. He sat down on his. Misato had had the floor.

She had been thinking. Why didn't she want to die anymore? No reason came to mind. She just…wanted to live. Didn't she? She could still do it right now if she wanted to.

Shinji sitting down across from her startled her. It was out of the question now. If she was to do it she didn't want anyone she knew to see it. Not like she had seen her mother. She didn't even hate Shinji that much.

She looked up at Shinji. Something seemed different about him although she couldn't quiet place it.

"Asuka, I missed you." he said. It was much more frontal then she was used to him being.

"Did you?" she spoke quietly.

He nodded. "Yeah, a lot. I haven't been able to talk to anyone in a real long time. Ever since Kaworu died-"

"Kaworu? You make a new friend while I was away?"

"Huh? Well, kind of."

"What do you mean kind of? How do you kind of make a friend?" Her voice grew in intensity as she spoke. She seemed insistent on chewing him out on everything she had missed.

"Well you see he was really nice at first. Then, later…he turned out to be the last angel." He said regretfully.

"What!" 'The last angel had been killed and no one had even told her?' Her surprise quickly turned more towards anger. 'Score another one for baka-boy.'

Shinji, unaware of what was going on in Asuka's head, continued on, "Kaworu was the last angel. I had to kill him though. He was my friend and I killed him. Asuka…I felt so horrible. But now it is ok because you're-"he was cut off by Asuka.

"You baka! Only you would kill an angel and complain about it. You're pathetic for not wanting to kill him. Do you know how lucky you are to get all those kills!" Asuka spoke barely quiet enough for the others next door not to be able to hear her.

"But-" he was cut off a second time by Misato returning. He didn't want to argue about this in front of her. Her views were too fixed. 'Asuka's can't be like hers. They can't be.'

"Hey you two we've gotta plan." Misato stated.

Asuka sat up more excitedly, almost as if she was glad not to be alone with Shinji anymore. "What is it?" her voice agreed completely with her body posture.

"Grab your things and I'll let you know when we're on our way."  
Misato immediately began following her own advice. She grabbed her jacket and headed out.

'What's there to grab?' thought Asuka. She followed Misato out. Shinji sat and hung his head for a moment. Then he took a deep breath and got up and left.

* * *

It had taken Misato a while to see the intelligence in splitting up but she had finally agreed. She would lead the second group with Shinji and one of the Section Two agents. Gendo, Rei, and another Section Two agent would be group one. Asuka, Shigeru and the remaining Section Two agents would be group three. 

Group one would board a ship to take them through the Philippines down to Australia. They had one agent because Rei could protect all three of them if necessary. At the same time, if Rei was gone for any reason Gendo was defenseless. The Section Two agent would be a human shield if necessary.

Group two would take ship to Siam and then board another one. Misato was perfectly capable of keeping track of herself and Shinji. The Section Two agent was added insurance.

Group three would go into China and then get transportation inland from their. They'd cross into India and then board ship for Australia. Group three was the largest and therefore the most noticeable. It was also filled with the most expendable people.

Shigeru was not nearly as important as Misato or Commander Ikari and no one even knew if Asuka would be able to synch with an Eva. The extra Section Two agent needed to be put someplace and group three was it.

Shinji was heartbroken when he learned he wouldn't be traveling with Asuka. He was doubly heartbroken when Asuka was overjoyed to be away from him.

Rei tried to ignore the…caring she felt. Being away from her fellow pilots had never been a problem before. Now, suddenly, it really mattered. During the journey she'd even realize she missed them.

Although it was nearly noon when they set off they still made it to ships and got passage to their locations. They had barely missed the blond boy who walked into the hotel parking lot moments after they left.

They had escaped again, however, was it a good thing this time?

* * *

A lot shorter, a lot lighter. Don't know whether I like long or short chapters now. Much more action planned in Chapter 5. 


	5. Capitol Capture

Reign of the Tabri

Disclaimer: Don't own Gainax. But I'd like too.

"If the Final Messenger is defeated by the neglected son it shall come to pass that the children rule all."- Dead Sea Scrolls, Chapter 17

* * *

Chapter 5: Capitol Capture 

He missed them by scant minutes. The dust their cars had disturbed wasn't even settled yet.

_This wouldn't have happened_, Ireul mentally berated him, _if you had gotten some transportation_.

"You know how I feel about machines," he stopped and examined the hotel were they had stayed, "I don't like to use them unless I absolutely must."

_You'll wish you had when Michel gets to them first_.

Logani sighed. 'I suppose I will' he thought.

Throughout the long walk the night before he had paid attention for signs that Ireul was in his mind again. He had yet to detect any. All Ireul had done was simply reside in his body. He had no need for questions; he had seen Logani's whole life.

He looked down at the road to see which way the cars had gone. He easily picked out the van, Misato's car, and the NERV car's tire tracks. Strangely they split up. "Not a bad strategy." he spoke aloud.

_No it isn't. They are 107 times less likely to be caught this way_.

"Now the question is who went in what car?"

_I'm afraid we are out of range of the nearest satellite system. I __won't be able to track them electronically. One moment._

He waited for almost a full three seconds.

_In the NERV car: Gendo Ikari, Rei Ayanami, Yanu Imazuki_

_In the Major's car: Misato Katsuragi, Shinji Ikari, Kato Goro_

_In the NERV van: Shigeru Aoba, Asuka Soryu, Ichuru Suzuki, and Yoko __Sato._

_All cars are headed to ports. Analysis shows they will head out of the __country._

'Way to point out the obvious' he thought. Still no intrusion, he expected it at any time. 'Headed to ports, think they'll leave the country?'

"We should of course follow the younger Ikari."

_Negative._

"Negative? He's the most important."

_True. However I have detected abnormal brain activity in the second __child._

"How the hell did you get their brain activity patterns? More importantly, how did you get the second child's most recent brain activity?" he demanded. If Ireul could read others minds she was probably reading his. Just in some way he couldn't feel.

_When I had access to the Magi I got a copy of the children's individual brain activity patterns. As for your second question… I can tell from the AT-field wakes they left_.

Logani thought this over for a moment.Ireul's sources sounded solid, he knew Ireul could do things he couldn't. Ireul was a messenger after all. "What do you mean by different?" he asked, referring to Asuka's brain pattern.

_They are fluctuating rapidly. I can't quite pick out specific things, __but I fear she is losing her desire to live_.

Logani mulled this over in his head. Go after the third child for extra protection? Or hope Shinji would be fine and go after the second child, who while less useful was at more of a risk? His decision was made in a snap.

"Fine. Let's go then." He headed off to follow the NERV van's tracks.

* * *

Asuka gritted her teeth and ran. 

Shigeru wasn't far behind her. The two Section Two agents with them dropped to their knees and opened fire.

Orange hexagon's stopped the bullets, and then Asuka was out of the warehouse they had been staying in. Ichuru's last words were still ringing in her head. He'd said, "Ow shit! Run!"

Then Asuka had run. She didn't know how they had been found. They'd been completely discreet as far as she could tell. No explosions or mistakes had happened. They'd made it into China fine. They had made it almost all the way to India fine. Then suddenly the skinny white haired man had kicked the door of the warehouse in and Ichuru had yelled for her to run.

Aoba ran behind her. He knew the Section Two agents were already dead.He also knew he and Asuka were almost surely goners. He hadn't seen anything to show that these...Tabri were merciful in the least.

They ran through forest. The trees were fairly thick. They couldn't go at full speed or else they'd run into one. Behind them they could hear the assailant following them. He crushed trees with his AT-field rather then let them get in his way.

* * *

Ferocian, Tabri of Arrogance, was disappointed. When they heard that this was called the third group they had thought it would have the third child. He thought for sure he would be the one to capture the third child. 

Ow well, this one was sport. After he had killed the two expendables he had set out to herd the remaining two into his twin brother and his sister. After they were caught they could be made to tell where the third child was.

The second child was falling right into the trap. Just like Ferocian knew she would.

* * *

Asuka rounded the last tree and found herself in the open. Far away she could see another line of trees but between it and her lay a long field. She nearly collapsed. She knew she wasn't strong enough to reach the other side. She was tired enough as it was. 

Aoba grabbed her and started pulling her. The thought that they wouldn't make it never crossed his mind. He was however surprised by Asuka's reaction. She had never been one to give up. Still, she had seemed different, specifically much much quieter, during this journey. Shigeru didn't know about the suicide attempts. He assumed the now fading scars were from the battle in Tokyo-3.

Shigeru had carried Asuka almost into the middle of the field when he realized that there were others in the field. There was a woman and a man. Both had white hair, the girl had red eyes and the man had hazel eyes. 'Oh shit.' Shigeru thought. Asuka didn't even notice them, she just stared downwards.

The man who had been following them came up behind them. The three Tabri now formed a triangle around them. Shigeru gritted his teeth; he knew he probably wouldn't make it out of this. He remembered the news broadcast Michel had made. The Tabri wanted Asuka alive for some reason; there had been no mention of the people who they were with. He looked down at Asuka. Her hair nearly completely covered her face and her head was slumped downwards.

"Don't tell them anything Asuka." Shigeru said. Asuka lifted her head a little bit so that they were starring each other in the eyes. Shigeru smiled.

Fastosun, Tabri of Pride, ripped Shigeru to shreds with his AT-field. Asuka fell to the ground and hit her head. She started to black out. Above her she thought she saw an angel. No, it couldn't be an angel. The angels were beasts and if one were above her it would surely be an enemy. Yet, somehow she didn't feel threatened by it. She smiled dumbly, perplexed by the giant white wings above her.

Ira, Tabri of Anger, stood over the second child. She was smiling at something, what Ira couldn't guess. Her eyes seemed to look past Ira into the above. 'What's she so happy about?' thought Ira. Ira glanced up and gasped. She dove out of the way as the colossal winged form smashed into where she had just been. Ira went into a roll, bounced, and landed on her feet. She turned to once again look at the winged form.

Ferocian and Fastosun's facial expressions were nearly identical. A sort of surprise mixed with excitement. They recognized the shape and were looking forward to battling him.

Asuka's head began to clear. She found herself looking from a hole in the ground. Above the…foxhole she was in stood a boy with long blonde hair, blue eyes, and wings. He looked down at her and smiled a reassuring smile. Then he turned away to do battle with her attackers.

'Maybe I do have a guardian angel,' thought Asuka, 'but why did he wait to show up till now?'

Logani's facial expression changed from reassuring to focused. He flapped his wings slightly and floated about a foot in the air. Around him Ferocian, Fastosun, and Ira crouched ready to spring. Ira was the strongest of the three, but the twins could be deadly together. Eliminate one twin, then Ira, then the other twin. It would work.

He dive-bombed at Ferocian from one foot up. It wasn't a high-class dive-bomb, but it was fast and it was powerful. Before Ferocian knew what was happening Logani had barreled into him. They were back in the forest in seconds, fighting tooth and nail for the upper hand. Logani's shoulder plow at the opening had given him the upper hand by a great deal, but now Ferocian had better use of his arms and a direct shot on Logani's wings.

When Logani had attacked Ira and Fastosun had not hesitated in the least. They took off after the tangled mass at a sprint. Logani continuously flew into trees giving Ferocian the brunt of each impact. He flew on and soon Ferocian's struggles lessened, and then stopped. He dropped the battered body of the Tabri of Arrogance onto the ground. "I never wanted to have to hurt any of you, I swear," he whispered weakly before turning to face the onrushing Ira and Fastosun.

When Fastosun saw his twin brother's body he stopped in disbelief. His brother was the second most powerful, behind only Fastosun himself. He couldn't have been killed by this, this deserter!

Fastosun stopping gave Logani the upper hand once again. He only had one to worry about now. He spread his wings once again and flew straight into Ira. She swung at him but he flipped around her and grabbed her around the neck. Her partial human instincts kicked in and her arms went to try to pull his hands off. Meanwhile, he gained altitude.

When she finally managed to get Logani's hands off her neck she smiled. Then, when she realized she was now in freefall hundreds of feet above the ground, she got angry. She hit the ground with a smash.

She stood up and checked herself over. She was only slightly damaged. Her legs ached a little but besides that she was fine, her AT-field hadn't even been necessary. She turned back to look at her opponent, still far above as far as she knew.

Logani slammed into her at an angle that broke her heavily reinforced spine immediately. Ira fell to the ground and was only able to watch as Logani landed beside her.

Fastosun, enraged at his immortal brother's death, kneed Logani in the back. The surprise attack threw Logani forward, right onto Ira. He managed to get on one knee and then he noticed Ira was smiling. She transformed into a near liquid state and then wrapped herself around Logani. Logani shut his eyes only a second before she exploded.

The crater was about twenty feet wide and five feet deep. In her foxhole Asuka ducked down to protect herself. Fortunately the shock wave passed right over her. After it had dissipated slightly she got out and looked where she had last seen her defender.

Logani's body was covered in burns. He gritted his teeth and managed to flip himself onto his back. He started to apply his AT-field to heal himself but it was cut out from around him. Fastosun walked forward into his limited sight. "You killed my brother you bastard!"

He kicked Logani in the ribs and Logani flipped over. Once again he managed to flip himself over. He spoke weakly but with a small smile, "I'm the High Speaker, I can do what I want. That's the excuse Michel is using isn't it?"

These latest words drove Fastosun even more into a rage. He smashed his fist into Logani's face, breaking his nose. "You are no High Speaker! What High Speaker would abandon his father when he needs him the most!" Logani moaned and Fastosun kicked him again. This kick sent him ten feet and there he collapsed in a heap. Now one of his wings was clearly broken, going off in a completely awkward direction.

Logani coughed up a small puddle of blood, "I regret leaving the conclave then more then anything else. Giving Michel power was the stupidest thing I've ever done."

Asuka couldn't stand to see her defender hurt like this anymore. Her guardian angel was willing to die for her, weak that she was. The least she could do was hurt the last attacked before she went down. 'Drag hell with you, as grandma used to say.' she thought.

Filled with a little of her old fire, Asuka got out of her foxhole and sneaked to the only remaining attacked.

In Fastosun's defense he was tormenting Logani. That was the only reason he didn't hear Asuka get behind him. When she was ready Asuka tapped Fastosun on the shoulder. She stopped him in some tirade about how somebody should've been the Tabri of Abandonment instead of Honor. Fastosun turned around quickly and then he noticed it was Asuka. He laughed, dropped practically all of his defenses, and was about to say something over his shoulder when Asuka struck. Fortunately male Tabri are male Tabri.

Fastosun collapsed to the ground holding his very pained groin. This gave Logani time to crawl over to Asuka. She drew away slightly from his heavily burned body. She stopped however when she saw his eyes. They were still the same, reassuring in a strange way. She stared into them for a brief moment before Logani turned back to Fastosun. "You have to kill him," he whispered, low enough that Fastosun wasn't alerted at all.

Asuka had none of Shinji's caring for other beings. She now recognized what needed to be done. "How?" she returned just as quietly.

Logani smiled through cracked lips. "Think of your mother," he whispered weakly.

'My mother?' thought Asuka. She didn't want to. She really didn't want to, but he had barely stopped speaking when she was practically assaulted by memories.

* * *

Her mother holding her as a child. Her mother reading to her. 

Her mother teaching her.

Her mother right before she went into Unit-02 for the first time.

Her mother mistaking her for a doll.

Her mother hanging from a rope.

* * *

Logani closed his eyes and could feel a part of Ireul pull away from him. Ireul had sent a few drones into Asuka. Not a lot but enough. As Asuka thought of her mother Ireul saw the images. Being open withanother would allowher to spread outher AT-field as lesswould beneeded to protecther soul. For the first time Asuka was being open with another. The funny thing was she didn't even know it. 

Ireul saw: Asuka's mother holding her as a child.

Asuka's mother reading to her.

Asuka's mother teaching her.

Asuka's mother right before she went into Unit-02 for the first time.

Asuka's mother mistaking her for a doll.

Asuka's mother hanging from a rope.

Ireul saw it all, but didn't really understand.

Asuka's eyes shot open. Standing in front of her was the last assailant and he was angry. He reached out his arms to touch her and was stopped by shining hexagons.

Fastosun screamed. His AT-field was still blocking Logani's and therefore couldn't protect his body or soul. He began to melt into LCL.

Asuka watched in horror as he melted. What was going on? Had her guardian angel done something while she was unconscious? Wait… the liquid he was turning into looked familiar. 'It looks exactly like LCL,' she thought. 'No way! I didn't breathe that stuff. That's impossible!' She drew back more from the now collapsing Fastosun.

Logani wasted no time. As soon as Fastosun had begun to collapse he freed his AT-field. He began to heal his badly burned body, cannibalizing his wings for needed material. He could grow them back later. 'I actually won.' he thought. He had thought for sure he wouldn't win against three of them, especially losing the element of surprise like he had. Still, he had wanted to protect the second child. Ireul had unsurprisingly agreed with him.

When Fastosun was completely melted Asuka's AT-field returned to her. She fell forward, losing consciousness once again. Fortunately Logani was healed enough to catch her.

She came to only a few minutes later. She found herself looking up at her mysterious defender, now mostly healed. "What happened?" she managed to get out. Confusion was her strongest emotion at the moment.

He smiled slightly and then said mysteriously, "You conquered Pride." Suddenly the strange boy's eyes undialated. He seemed to be staring far away. He gasped, and then hurriedly got to his feet. He looked down at Asuka. "We have to get out of here right now."

"What? Why? You killed them all didn't you?" asked Asuka. She managed to stand on weak legs. She fell and the boy caught her. He put one of her arms over his shoulder to carry her easier. His wings were mysteriously gone now.

"Death is coming," he whispered to her. Then he started hobbling along with her. They were going to the once far away forest, now very close swamp.

* * *

AN: First off many, many thanks to Animefan64 for proofreading. I've gotta say it looks a lot better now. Once again, many many thanks. 

Chapter 5 will be out sometime next weekend some time. Look for it. r&**R**.


	6. RePear

Reign of the Tabri

Disclaimer: I don't own Gainax. Plain and simple.

"If the Final Messenger is defeated by the neglected son it shall come to pass that the children rule all."- Dead Sea Scrolls, Chapter 17

* * *

Chapter 6: Four Horsemen as One 

Michel sat alone in his office. What was once Gendo Ikari's was now his. Taking things from mere mortals was enjoyable to Michel. It was like taking candy from a baby. A part of you knows its wrong, yet its still fun.

Michel sat alone in his office reading reports. Open at the moment was a report from the conclave's emissary to the UN. Wineriol had been the perfect choice for that mission. She reported that the UN had given into their demands and wouldn't attack. Food would be provided by the UN for the citizens of Tokyo-3. The UN would help in the search for the missing children. All Evangelions would be moved to Tokyo-3 with assistance from the UN. The UN would almost certainly try to liberate the city by force. Everything was as he had expected. 'Strange that Wineriol never tried politics in the conclave,' thought Michel, 'She could have done very well.'

Michel closed the manila folder and placed if off to the side. Michel opened another folder and began to leaf through it. It reported that Tabri had been spread out over Asia and North and South America. If any of the children entered one of the three continents they'd be noticed. Also, all boats records were being searched for aliases of the missing NERV survivors. They wouldn't make it far.

The last part of the second manila folder was the most interesting. Michel's eyebrows rose as he read about an intercepted radio transmisssion. In it one group was identified as group one and the other three. Apparently the escapees had split up. A strike team was already attacking group three. Group one would be attacked soon. The report speculated that the third child may be in the third group. Michel turned to the computer. He was well versed in its use; he had embraced the Lilim's most interesting creation. His hands flew across the keyboard and quickly located the strike team's names. Good. The Tabri of Anger, Arrogance, and Pride had been dispatched. They'd be sure to do it right or else Michel would have their hides.

The doors burst open and Michel's eyes flew up. He'd told the guards he was not to be disturbed, this had better be important for their sake. Standing in the doorway was Yomial. He hobbled in and sat down. The guards closed the doors behind him. They looked more then a little scared for their lives.

Yomial faced Michel from across the table. Yomial was one of the few Tabri Michel let look him in the eye. He knew Yomial would never do anything, Tabri of Servitude that he was. He'd also only interrupt Michel for something important. "What is it?" Michel demanded.

Yomial shifted uncomfortably, "You remember back a little while? When you asked me to find your…predecessor?" to speak the name in front of Michel was to face hours of torture. Yomial was not that stupid.

Michel's face darkened for a moment. Then it brightened. "You've found him?" he asked.

"Yes High Speaker." Yomial's face showed great amounts of relief at this response.

"Well, where is he?" Michel looked downright eager now.

"…"

Michel's face darkened once more, "What's wrong? Where is he!"

"High Speaker, you have been informed of the strike team set to attack one of the NERV survivors groups?"

"Yes, I just read about it when you walked in."

"Sir, one member is already dead and the other two fighting for their lives. Ira contacted us when it began. I don't think they'll last long."

Michel collapsed into his chair. He had never expected this one to react so violently. Much less defend the person who had killed his own father. 'Once a traitor, always a traitor." Michel thought. Michel reached for the phone. He was disappointed that he wouldn't get to do it himself but it needed to be done fast, before the third child could escape.

"…" was the answer from the other end.

"You are to be dispatched to destroy… your former master. Capture anyone else with him. You already have the coordinates, go now.

A deep grunt was the only reply from the other end. Then the phone was hung up. Michel looked back to Yomial. Yomial looked anxious.

"What?" spat Michel.

"Well, it's no place of mine to make decisions like this but… isn't using Death a little extreme?" asked Yomial.

"Not for this one. Nothing is too extreme for this one."

* * *

Logani pulled Asuka deeper into the forest. They'd managed to get a few miles from the scene of the last battle. Logani's back ached; he hadn't been able to completely heal it. Also, cannibalizing his wings for energy was starting to have an effect; he was running out of energy. 

Asuka was in worse shape. Expanding her AT-field for the first time since her mother died had left her near exhaustion. Yet, strangely she felt like she was gaining energy the farther away from the battle site she got. Now perhaps she could even walk. She just needed to be set down, "Stop. I think I can walk now."

Logani barely hesitated before setting her down. They needed to move faster and if she could walk they'd be able to do that. Besides, the effects of killing Fastosun should be kicking in by now.

Asuka stood unsteadily and then managed to start walking. It was brutally slow going in the swamp but it was much faster then when Logani had carried her. The only problem was that now she was getting wetter. Her shoes were totally ruined. "So what are we running from anyway?" she asked.

"I already told you, Death. Conserve your energy or else we're both dead." Logani returned in his usual quiet voice.

Asuka stopped and scowled at him. "You can tell me more then that can't you? I mean running from death? That's pathetic. I think you owe me an explanation at the very least."

'Dammit, why did she have to kill Pride?' thought Logani. He stopped and turned back to her. "Look. If you want to die stay here. Otherwise follow-." He cut off as his eyes undialated once more. When they re-dilated he grabbed Asuka's arm and pulled her to the nearest pool of murky water. It was covered in scum and who knew what grew in it.

"If you think I'm getting in there you're nuts," said Asuka.

Nevertheless Logani pulled her in. They were up to their waists immediately. Logani grabbed her face with his hands and looked directly into her eyes. She gasped slightly as a part of her felt like he was going to kissher. Her hand tightened to slap him if he tried. Instead, he asked, "Do you trust me?"

Asuka would've blinked if he hadn't been practically holding her eyes open. "What?' she asked, "I don't even know you! Why would I trust you?"

"Because I saved your life."

That hurt. Asuka hated being saved, in this just as much as when piloting. Still, something in his eyes told her to think about it. Finally she nodded. It was a little painful to do so with him still holding her head so tightly but she managed.

"Good. Now, something very strong is coming. I can't fight it and neither can you. They only real chance we have is to hide from it. It's within a mile now. When it comes we need to hide in this pool. All right?"

"Hide in this pool? Won't it see us?"

"No, the top is covered in sludge and we can dive down pretty deep. But this thing, it's going to be moving fast but it will notice everything. If a bubble breaks the surface of this water when it's within earshot we'll both die. We may have to stay under for as much as two minutes. Can you hold your breath that long?"

"I-I think so. I've never really tried."

"Take a few deep breaths and don't even think about it. The more you worry about it the more you'll need to breathe. We need to go down now though."

Asuka nodded and took several deep breaths. Her last thought before she went under was 'Why do I trust this guy? I don't even know his name!' She went down and searched for the rocky bottom. She found it and used it to hold herself down. 'Two minutes. No problem. Not for the Great Asuka Langley Soryu! Wait, when was the last time I thought that?Feels like its been years.'

Logani went down and did the same as Asuka. He couldn't use his AT-field to allow himself to breath. Death would definitely sense it. Heck, he couldn't use his AT-field within a couple miles of Death or else he'd be locked onto. Then it'd really be over.

* * *

Death followed the trail as it had always done. Nothing could block the trail of the essence. Not fire, not wind, not earth and most certainly not water. 

It had never revealed to anyone how it hunted. Not even its long time master Logani. No one knew how death hunted. Therefore no one could avoid it.

It moved with grace across this swamp. It was home here. It would've only been more of Death's home if it had been night. Fortunately for its prey it was only mid-afternoon. Too bad it didn't matter, Death comes for all.

* * *

A shadow crossed over the pool Asuka and Logani were hiding in. It didn't leave. Logani knew something was wrong just from that. He'd seen tapes of Death completing its missions. It never stayed still unless it was going for the kill. 'Shit,' was his last coherent thought. Then he dove out of the pool and engaged Death hoping to somehow gain the upper hand. 

Asuka noticed the shadow but didn't realize what it meant. All she understood was that Logani surfaced. Therefore, so could she. She reached the surface and breathed deeply. Another moment and she thought for sure she'd have been a goner. She looked around and found no sign of Logani and whatever had been pursuing them. No sign besides several crushed and fallen trees. She decided she might as well follow the destruction. 'Yeah, that'd be the right thing to do. Maybe I can get out of this swamp too.' she thought. She set out.

* * *

Logani threw an uppercut at were Death's face would've been. He connected with the chin but Death was barely hurt. Death literally couldn't be stopped. Or killed. 

Death had Logani in a bear hug and was spinning around while moving. One result was Logani being smashed into nearly every tree they passed. The other result was a path of fallen trees.

Logani was now bleeding from multiple wounds. He didn't even think about raising his AT-field. Death's field was the strongest. It was probable because Death had no secrets to keep. No personality to protect. In there lay Death's weakness.

Death was stronger then Logani. Death was faster then Logani. Death had a stronger AT-field then Logani. Death was more versed in combat then Logani. Logani had a better personality then Death. Strangely not comforting given his situation.

Death finally stopped the spinning and released Logani from the bear hug. Death grabbed Logani's arms and began spinning again. Then Death released Logani. Logani flew through more trees before finally slamming into a large rock. He collapsed into a heap. The large rock Logani had hit broke apart and covered Logani. Deep under the rocks, where Death could not see, Logani's eyes undialated.

Asuka finally reached the end of the smashed trees. What she found didn't make her happy. Death released Logani, who went flying through the air. It became painfully obvious what had created the broken tree path Asuka had followed. Asuka gasped lightly when Logani hit the large rock.

The small gasp Asuka made was more then enough for Death to be alerted to her presence. In only a few steps Death was upon her. Death had no face, bulging muscles, no hair, and Asuka couldn't honestly tell if it was supposed to be male or female. Asuka, who had never backed down from fighting an Angel, very nearly wet herself. Instead she fixed her face and kicked Death in the groin. Death didn't even flinch. 'I guess it's a girl,' thought Asuka.

Death grabbed her by the hair and began dragging her to where Logani lay buried. After half the distance Asuka quit struggling and just went along. There was no way she would escape that grip with her hair and she wasn't going to be walking around bald.

When they were ten feet away from the pile Death stopped. It released Asuka and cocked its head to the side as if listening to something. Then Death materialized its AT-field. Death showed no emotion despite the fact that it should've been invulnerable. With all the messengers gone Death was the strongest individual on the planet.

Suddenly another set of orange hexagons materialized in front of Death's. They began to neutralize Death's AT-field. If Death had a mouth it would've frowned. Instead it took a whole step back.

The pile of rocks exploded outwards in all directions. Standing at the focal point of the explosion was Logani. Wrapped around him snuggly was his own AT-field. In a voice much louder then his usual one he boomed, "You should've done your research Death. Now for once, you'll get beat."

Death lowered itself, readying to charge. Logani just stood with his hands at his side smiling.

Within Logani's head Ireul was speaking to him. _This one sees using a __person's essence. Change your essence and he will be unable to follow __you._

'I can't change my essence,' thought Logani. They expected intrusion had finally come. Ireul was reading his thoughts.

_And that is why you have me_.

Death began its charge when its target suddenly disappeared. Death skidded to a halt and began looking frantically for its target. No one could move that fast. Logani couldn't have gotten that much faster as of recently. No…he must've figured out how to-

Death was assaulted by blows. They hit him in the back, in the side, in the front. They were painful, yes. However, they couldn't stop him no matter how hard they were. Death was eternal; it couldn't be stopped.

Logani stopped attacking. It was clear to him that Death was not going to die from his assault. He couldn't beat Death even if he was invisible to it. Still, he could escape now. He wrapped his AT-field around Asuka and Ireul managed to shield her as well.

Asuka was bewildered. This unstoppable juggernaut had suddenly just stopped and seemingly allowed Logani to beat the living tar out of it. Then Logani had stopped attacking. He walked over to her. "We need to go now." he said. Asuka nodded dumbly. "Don't worry about Death. It won't attack us anymore." Logani led Asuka away with a comforting hand.

Death got up and looked around. Its prey had fled and for once Death could not follow it. The High Speaker would not be pleased. If Death had eyes it would've cried. It had made its first failure ever.

* * *

Done with Chapter 6 in only five days. Thanks once more to Animefan64 for proofreading. Once more a great improvement. Look for Chapter 7 next weekend. r&**_R_**


	7. Rambling Destruction

Reign of the Tabri

"If the Final Messenger is defeated by the neglected son it shall come

to pass that the children rule all."- Dead Sea Scrolls, Chapter 17

Did you miss me?

Disclaimer: Consider everything from here on disclaimed.

* * *

Chapter 7: Rambling Destruction

Zacherial crouched on top of one of the many skyscrapers of Tokyo-3. He was charged to find one boy in thousands of people. He'd been looking for days and so far had been unable too. He had managed to cover seventy percent of the city though. Zacherial knew it was only a matter of time until he found Touji.

In many ways he feared having to kill the boy. The fourth child might not have done as much as the others but he had still been willing too. Zacherial really didn't want to kill such a magnificent Lilim.

Zacherial gazed down on the city. He had come up here to try to gather his thoughts. The only un-searched part of the city was the hardest. Touji only would've hid there if he knew Zacherial was looking for him. Or if he was more scared then Zacherial thought. 'Still,' thought Zacherial, 'I have got to give him credit. He was a child and therefore could probable figure out we would want to find him.'

Zacherial sighed and jumped headfirst from the building. He whizzed down looking into the unoccupied building. Michel had yet to allow the civilians to enter the superstructures; he had also refused to lower them.

Over the past few days Zacherial had seen helicopters coming and going. While he had been blocked out of the loop he could still figure out what they were for. Michel had apparently gotten the UN to send food for the citizens of Tokyo-3.

Zacherial could also figure out other things. First off, Michel would soon find the people of Tokyo-3 something to do. While he hadn't invented it Michel was a fan of slave labor. It was one of the few ideas the Lilim had made that Michel liked. It was also something that Zacherial detested. The second thing Zacherial deduced was that the UN would attack Tokyo-3 and try to liberate it soon. How soon he couldn't tell.

He fell upside down facing into reflective windows. His only warning, and only reason he survived, was from the windows. He saw the cruise missile in the reflection and was able to raise his AT-field. Still, the explosion from the multi-ton warhead sent him through the building and out the other side.

Apparently the UN was here now.

* * *

"The attack has commenced." was all Major General Okom said. If SEELE had any thoughts on the matter they didn't tell him. He stood in the center of their circle, in the same place Gendo Ikari had once stood. Even if he stood in the same place he would never replace Gendo. Ikom knew he couldn't hope to replace the master of deceit. 

While SEELE had been enemies with him near the end they still respected him. As an enemy if nothing else.

* * *

If the Tabri were a little slow on the draw then the UN was slower. Immediately after the first cruise missile the buildings began to lower and the civilians were ordered to retreat to the shelters. 

Tabri swarmed over the city once more. They had orders to allow the civilians to evacuate. Michel had something planned for them and therefore they would be. They took missiles in their AT-fields for individual Lilim. Michel had ordered them to protect Lilim and therefore they did. A few even got moderately hurt.

Some Tabri immediately began the offensive. They were not handpicked but simply were the ones best used to the offensive. Although he disagreed that the civilians should be protected so strongly Mendial led the charge.

Mendial lifted up a tank and heaved it a full 100 meters. It crashed into a pair of hummers and exploded. A VTOL spewed rockets at him and Mendial raised his modest AT-field to deflect them. Nearby another Tabri, Semian, whipped his field up to the VTOL and destroyed it. Mendial gave him a nod and Semian followed him. Mendial now had a private anti-aircraft turret.

The pair ran across the fields outside of Tokyo-3. Waves of projectiles exploded all around them but they continued. As they ran Mendial spied something he wanted. He jumped down into a small trench and onto a group of soldiers. He smiled and smacked them all down quickly. Then he lifted his prizes out of the dead soldier's hands.

A cruise missile hit the trench and soldiers rushed to surround the crater. Several tanks pulled up as well and aimed their primary guns into the dense smoke. Suddenly the smoke parted, as if by AT-field, and Mendial walked out clutching a minigun in each hand. He opened up and cut down soldiers by the tens. Semian returned now and began to deal with the tanks. In seconds several hundred soldiers were obliterated into nothing more then pulp.

After less then twenty minutes the UN began to pull back. The ferocity of the Tabri had startled them. 7, 859 casualties in twenty minutes was previously unheard of. It would never be unheard of again. Veterans of the battle would've spoken of it for years. Woulda coulda shoulda.

* * *

"Wake up sleepy head," spoke a voice. It seemed so far away but Zacherial knew it must be close. He groaned and put one arm to his head. He managed to sit up in the rubble produced from him going through the building. He groaned once more, winced, and looked around. Standing not far away was a familiar form. 

"What do you want?" he said in between groans.

Andinesial looked at him from orange iris and smiled. "Why just to make sure you're okay of course!" he mocked.

Zacherial scowled at the boy-Tabri. "Of course you are. Come on, we're under attack."

Now Andinesial's irises were blue and green, respectively. "Fine then silly. Let's go." His voice was terribly childish for the first sentence and then amazingly menacing for the second. Zacherial got up and they went to battle. Separately of course. Zacherial knew the Tabri of Chaos couldn't be trusted in battle let alone anything. Besides, Andinesial worked better alone. Much much better.

* * *

The Tabri held up in the city never got any fighting. The Tabri sent out on the offensive had tasted blood and wanted more. When the UN pulled out Mendial immediately asked Michel permission to follow the soldiers to their original camps. Michel said yes. 

Mendial set out at thirty miles per hour. It wasn't to fast that he would be tired when he caught up to the soldiers. Beside him ran Semian and further back many others. Mendial had been given a whole fifty Tabri. It was good to be one of the favored.

As they ran Mendial struck up a conversation with Semian, "Have your wounds from your beating healed yet?"

"Almost entirely," was the only reply from Semian.

'Pathetic of him,' thought Mendial, 'to be stopped by someone as weak as Leslen.' "You know, you really were over punished for that mistake. It wasn't something you could predict."

Semian's ears twitched and he smiled slightly at this. "I'm listening," was all he said.

They ran on and talked. They caught the soldiers. They made them pay for their ignorance. Not one whole soldier returned to their base. A few pieces did though.

* * *

Rei Ayanami sat up. Once more she could feel them coming. It was just like last time except this time there were three of them. 

She could also tell they were stronger and not nearly as stupid. They destroyed the engines of the ship before she was even aware of them. The ship wasn't going anywhere even if the assailants failed.

"They are coming." she whispered to Gendo. He nodded. "The two of you must stay back if you are to survive." Rei continued. Another nod and Gendo and the Section Two agent took a few steps back from the doorway.

Rei flexed to ready herself for the attack. 'Wait. What's this? They're retreating already?' she thought.

Sure enough on the top of the ship the assassination team was retreating. They'd done what they were here to do, the charges were planted. Now all they had to do was capture the first child when she ran.

Rei never ran. On the port side, just below the water line the explosives created a gaping hole. The ship began to roll to port, immediately sinking into the sea when it was flipped. Fortunately for the NERV refugees they had booked passage on the starboard side.

A hundred feet above the sinking cruiser Bornus and his strike team waited standing on their AT-fields. They looked down on the water around the cruiser waiting for the blue haired girl to surface. When she did all three of them would grab her and take her back to Tokyo-3. It was a simple plan, but it had taken a great deal of toil to pull off. It just had.

Suddenly right in front of Bornus' own eyes Cornelius' AT-field dropped out from around him. He plummeted into the ocean with a look of absolute surprise on his face. He hit the water with an audible slap and was not seen again. Bornus looked up at Korcernie in disbelief. She didn't return his look; she was already falling to follow Cornelius into the water.

Bornus offered up a small prayer to the messengers and then he fell himself. Not one of these Tabri would ever be heard of again.

After dispatching the three attackers Rei allowed the buoyancy of her AT-field to increase. She and Gendo surfaced into destruction. Around them broken pieces of the ship floated. Somewhere in this mess was the Section Two agent, they didn't bother to find his corpse. Rei constructed a raft out of destroyed ship pieces and her AT-field and they continued to Australia minus one expendable.

Unfortunately it was monsoon season.

* * *

Michel walked out to the podium and looked out at his followers. It wasn't the biggest gathering ever, not by far, but it was at least two-thirds of the Tabri. 

These were the most faithful to Michel. Any he doubted had been sent away to kill the children. The hardest part of Tabri being so strong and nearly invincible to anything besides an Evangelion was that they could not have "accidents" easily. Still, Michel's enemies were for the most part on the run with what remained of the Third Group.

Death's failure was a terrible blow. Death had spoken of greatly increased power and even an essence change. That was unheard of. The…former leader of the conclave had never been that strong. He'd been strong, yes, but no one was better then Death. Until now. Death said it had even sensed the power of a messenger.

Michel smiled out at the Conclave of the Tabri. The applause had died down by now and it was time for Michel to begin to speak. "The Lilim have dared attack us in our new home! What say you my brothers and sisters?"

The assembled Tabri roared in disgust of the UN attack. They wanted blood and Michel knew it. "They have dared to break their agreement with us. They have assaulted us with everything but their unholy N2 weapons. If they will do this what is next? Are we to assume by this that they have sided with the children? Do they harbor them even now?"

The Tabri yelled in anger. These were his and he could control them so easily now. Michel could still remember back when they had scorned him. Now they embraced him so readily. "What will we do to them now siblings? We must destroy them! We will rule this island of Japan in a matter of days with our strength!" Michel hadn't wanted to do it. He wanted to keep Tabri out looking for the children but this change in events demanded a response. "We will destroy the UN and their masters in a matter of days!"

The assembled conclave surged like they wanted to attack the UN right then. They hungered for blood. Michel immediately began giving orders out. They would destroy the infidels now.

* * *

SEELE was from all over the world. 

All over the world attacks were launched. Tabri in triads assaulted and destroyed the old men. None escaped. Supercomputers were destroyed. Mansions were burned. Families were slaughtered.

Thirteen families were erased from existence. Cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters were all killed off for being related to SEELE members. There would be no threads to what they had done; no one would resurrect SEELE ever again. Michel had eradicated it in a well timed fifteen minutes.

* * *

In India there are thick jungles and open grasslands. Through these Asuka and Logani walked at a brisk pace. They needed to cover several miles every day; Logani could not keep up the essence protection wall forever. 

Death could literally lurk around any corner. If they couldn't change their essences Death would follow them. If they couldn't do it all the time Death would eventually find were they had gone. Without knowing it they led Death straight towards Australia.

Asuka harrumphed. She had been following this guy like this for days now. He hadn't told her anything at all. She was sick of it and decided to make a stand. "OK. I'm not walking another step until I get some answers."

"If we stop Death will find us." Logani returned quietly as he broke stride to turn and look at her.

"Well how long do we have to keep going before Death won't be able to find us?" Asuka demanded.

Logani really didn't want to answer that. Possible forever was the real answer. Instead he changed the subject, "Fine. You want answers you need to ask some questions."

Asuka was so delighted that she would finally get some answers that she completely missed his not answering her last question. She settled down rather quickly and got to questioning. "First, what's your name?"

"Logani. Can we go now?" was his answer.

"After one question?" Asuka rolled her eyes at him. "No way! You've got a lot to answer for."

"Yippee. Ask then."

"Second, what was that thing that attacked us?"

"Death, it's the most powerful single organism on the planet. We were very lucky to survive."

"If it was so strong how is it that we survived?"

"Like I said we got lucky. I figured out a way to avoid its gaze."

_That is incorrect. I figured out to avoid its gaze._

'I'd rather not tell her about you right now. She'd freak out if I told her I had a messenger in me.' Ireul seemed to agree with him on this now and was quiet. Logani had had to shield his thoughts for some time now and it was surprisingly easy. Just think about what you saw and you were fine. It did make planning dificult though.

"OK. Who were those people who attacked us before Death? The ones who killed Aoba." asked Asuka

"Those were Tabri. In a nutshell we are sons of Tabris, the seventeenth angel," Logani replied.

"Wait. Us? Tabris? Tabri?" Asuka was thoroughly confused now.

Logani put a hand to his head as he thought about everything Asuka had missed because of her induced comma. It had been quiet a lot. "Tabris was the last angel killed by the third child." He said choosing to answer they second question first.

"Shinji beat him? Must have been one week angel for that baka to kill him alone."

Logani's fist immediately balled up at this insult. Without a word he turned and began walking. 'If you can't say anything nice shut the hell up' as his mother said long ago. The phrase had changed quiet a bit with time.

"Hey! Where are you going? I'm talking to you here! Don't you walk away from me!" yelled Asuka after him.

Logani ignored her but was slightly bemused to hear her following once more. He'd called her bluff. 'I knew she wouldn't stop following. Was probable too tired to keep walking and just wanted to stop and rest,' thought Logani. He started looking at scenery once more. It kept Ireul quiet at least.

* * *

Michel smiled once more. 'This must be the greatest find here yet.' he thought. 

Ever since the Tabri had taken over Tokyo-3 Michel had begun walking around the lower levels as a means to clear his head. Several rooms had already become torture chambers. Lilim screaming always had soothed him.

Now, far below the other passages Michel had found something worth more then half the conclave's support. Lilith stared down at him from upon her cross. This was a very great find indeed.

"I have many plans for you grandmother," Michel intoned "You were one of the missing links in my plans but now that I have you I will truly become a God. Now I just find grandfather and the children and it will all be over." Beneath her mask Lilith's eyes bugged out. Michel smiled once more.

* * *

Two forms, soaking wet, reached the huge iron door. One reached up his hand and knocked with the little strength that remained in his body. The knock was unnecessary and the man should've known it. Before even his second knock the door had begun to peal back and the two figures collapsed into the entry room. 

After a long moment feet appeared in front of the man. He barely managed to crane his head up to look into sad eyes.

"Gendo Ikari," said the mouth connected to the sad eyes, "you should not have come here."

Gendo Ikari felt sleep take him. 'Was I wrong to think that Julius would protect us?' he thought before he was fully unconscious. Rei lasted only a moment longer and then she too was asleep.

* * *

I rambled, and their was destruction. Fitting title. 

Thanks once more to AnimeFan64 for proofreading. I hope his help makes the wait worthwhile.

I know it took a long time but it seems like no one reads this anyway. For 6 chapters I have five reviews. Ones even written by me. How stupid is that?

r&_**R**_


	8. ArRival

**Reign of the Tabri**

"If the Final Messenger is defeated by the neglected son it shall come to pass that the children rule all."- Dead Sea Scrolls, Chapter 17

Chapter 8: ArRival

* * *

They were so close now. The ship had dropped them in Sydney and from there they had walked to where Asuka guaranteed was NERV 8 and Evangelion Unit 12. 

He could only hope that she was right. Worse, he could only hope that the other groups had survived and made it here.

_Bad news on that front._

Sensing Logani's thoughts Ireul began mentally telling him of reports that had been intercepted. Apparently the first of the three groups had also been attacked. Ireul gave them a decent chance of survival but Logani seriously doubted it.

There had been no word on the second group and in many ways this was better then any words. It meant they weren't killed or captured yet.

He broke out of his reviewing the reports when he spotted the ambush. It was too late though.

The floor beneath them gave way and both he and Asuka fell into the ground. Sand fell everywhere with them and Logani barely head Asuka cry out.

Logani whipped his AT-field open and attempted to catch himself and Asuka. Just as he was setting it into place it was ripped away from him.

Evangelion Unit 12 caught Asuka with its left hand and swatted Logani into the ground with the other. He didn't manage to see much else before he blacked out in the four feet deep dent in the floor he'd made.

* * *

Asuka awoke in a hospital bed. She slowly relaxed from the fetal position she'd been in during sleep. A moment later she opened her eyes and was blinded by immensely powerful overhead lights. She snapped her eyes closed and only managed to open them again a minute later. 

Squinting, she could see a blurry figure sitting in a chair next to her. As her pupils undialated the figure took the shape of one Ayanami Rei. Rei stared at her unblinkingly. She did not move a muscle. Her mouth was in a completely neutral position.

In other words perfect doll position. It pissed Asuka off right off the bat. "Well? What are you looking at Wundergirl!"

Rei continued to not blink but now she answered. "I'm not entirely sure," she stood up and began to leave the room, "Commander Ikari wishes to see you immediately."

"Now?" Asuka demanded angrily. Then she turned away from Rei and closed her eyes. "Well you'll have to tell him to wait. I've got to get dressed. Hey! What happened to my clothes! If someone took them-"

Asuka continued to rant as Rei left the room. As she walked down the short medical wing corridor Rei couldn't help but whisper, "It's good to have you back Pilot Soryu. In many ways."

Rei went to check on the other… patient.

* * *

Asuka took her time getting dressed even after she found her clothes. Through gritted teeth she furiously continued her rant, "Who puts clothes in a closet? And who took these off of me? I swear if it was Wundergirl I'll rip her throat out!" 

It was at least a half-hour before Asuka left the hospital wing. It was another half-hour before she found Ikari's office. It pissed her off more that she had to ask for directions.

Still, a meeting with Commander Ikari wasn't something you walked into angry. Asuka had to visible calm herself before knocking.

She waited.

And waited.

And then waited some more.

She knocked again but instead of waiting more just entered. He'd told her to come here so he should be inside. Yet, as she looked around she saw that he wasn't.

Her anger was back now. "Who the hell just leaves a place after telling someone to meet them there!" she demanded to the empty office.

She stalked down the hall angry as hell. She was going to get something to eat now and if anyone got in her way they just might be eaten alive.

* * *

He was aware once more. He heard the sounds of medical equipment and personnel moving around. 'We're being studied' he thought. 

_Incorrect. You are being studied._

'Thanks for the insight,' he thought 'you know anything else worthless?' He could feel heavy metal clamps holding him down. Being confined always did make him cranky. 'So they haven't found you yet.'

_Correct._

Even though it was in his head Logani could still detect a feeling of hurt in Ireul's communication. No time to deal with that now. 'Let's keep it that away,' he thought as he ripped his arms through eight inches of Bakelite straps.

He sat up on the metal gurney and looked around at shocked personnel. "Boo," was all it took to send them running. He gave a small chuckle, just because that was the mood he was in, and began to unfasten his feet.

As he headed for the door the alarms began and the doors began to mechanically close and lock. His AT-field ripped through all of them. It'd take them longer to find him if they didn't have a clear trail.

He slipped through the hallways until he came to a locker room which he entered. The first locker he found was empty. He scowled. There were a lot of lockers and he'd be damned if he was going to open them all one at a time. He threw them all open with his At-field. One had a pair of pants and another had a heavy camouflage jacket. He slipped them on and grabbed a pair of steel-toed boots from another locker.

He finished buttoning up the jacket as he walked out the door and into the line of fire of an entire SWAT team. He looked up and blinked at their large black shields and M-16 guns trained on him. It would be a difficult fight in these close quarters.

He was in no mood for this. He threw himself into them not even bothering to use his AT-field. His crash into the first shield flattened a pair of soldiers but it didn't nearly get all of them. Logani supported himself on the shield with his arms and flipped his legs around in a full-360 knocking all the soldiers down.

One soldier shot as he fell and three bullets passed into Logani's chest, burrowed about six inches and stopped. He gritted his teeth at the pain. Still, the soldier was on the ground by now and out for the count.

Logani stood and wiped off the bit of blood on his new jacket. Then he heard them, it wasn't a lot of warning but it was enough, and he started to lope down the hallway. Back were he was seconds ago the walls exploded inwards and soldiers rushed into the hallway. They glanced around and just barely managed to see his shadow turn the corner down the hallway. "That's impossible!" shouted one of the soldiers. His insignia marked him a private. "He couldn't have gotten all the way down the hallway that fast."

A blur passed the soldiers and streaked off after the intruder. All the soldiers' mouths hung open as they barely managed to see it. Another soldier, marked as a colonel, was the first to recover. To the private he said, "After working here for a couple months I'd say nothings impossible."

The other soldiers could only nod dumbly before going to help their fallen comrades.

* * *

Logani was almost done with the fifth hallway when his feet were swept out from under him by something he hadn't sensed. His head crashed into the ground and he immediately blotted out the pain. He turned the nose dive into an awkward roll and came up facing his new opponent. 

To his surprise his opponent was still at the other end of the hallway. Rei looked at him with an expressionless face. "Surrender and no pain will come to you," was all she said.

Logani put himself in a fighting stance and spread his AT-field out about three feet. 'That should scare the first child off,' he thought.

Rei scowled and then replied with a ghostly "As you wish."

Logani suddenly found himself hanging from his feet with his head being smashed into the wall. "How…" Smash.

'I didn't sense her do anyth-' Smash.

_I tried to warn you but you ignored me._

'Warn me-' Smash. 'About what?' Smash.

_She used her AT-field to trip you and then kept it close to you. When you expanded your AT-field hers became inside of it. From there it was over._

'She's within my soul,' Was his last conscious thought 'that cannot be unless-' Smash.

* * *

Asuka found Commander Ikari in the command center watching the battles. On one screen she could see Tabri decimating UN forces in Japan and on the other… Wundergirl beating the shit out of Logani! "What the hell!" she shouted. 

Commander Ikari turned to look at her through his reflective sunglasses. As was fitting for the situation he towered over her from the raised dais. "Ah. Good to see you're finally here. Rei informed me that she told you to find me over an hour ago. Excuses second child?"

"What! I went to your office but **you** weren't there! And anyway what the hell is Wundergirl doing?" Asuka demanded.

"Hm. If by "Wundergirl" you mean Rei then she is subduing a prisoner who tried to escape."

"What the hell do you mean escape? And why does she get to beat him up but I don't? He rescued me you know!"

Ikari sighed and shook his head. "I have no time for your childish questions. Know that he was only saving you so he'd get in out good graces. We will not be infiltrated here. Especially by one of these…Tabri." He turned and walked away to watch the other battle.

* * *

He was badly beaten and worse, his soul had been violated. He retreated to his most inner workings. A forest in his head that no one else could reach. There he wrapped his AT-field around him tight so that even a messenger would have a hard time drawing him out. Here he could heal his mind and prepare for future trials. 

However, while here his body was defenseless and wouldn't heal. He would barely feel anything that happened to his body as well. It would not want for anything but would stay as damaged as it was at the moment.

The soul took precedence over the body in all ways.

His body was defenseless.

* * *

Asuka could not get another meeting with Commander Ikari. Apparently he had nothing to say to her so she was not going to get any answers. It was the type of off-balance ness that had permeated the Tokyo- NERV. The difference was that the Australian NERVes were not used to this sort of a thing. 

For a few days Asuka was the most frustrated she had ever been. Not only was this saying something it was problematic for anyone she had to deal with.

It galled her that not only could she not talk to Commander Ikari but she also had not been notified on anything referring to Logani or worse Evangelion Unit 12. She desperately needed to start piloting again so she could start to get over her past problems. But try as she might she couldn't even find out if Evangelion 12 was finished, had been randomly destroyed or was already at the front.

One thing that did brighten her up though was when the second group arrived.

* * *

Probes. Someone was probing him. Or his AT-field at least. It might be that girl again. He wouldn't let it happen again. Once was way to much as it was. 

He tightened his shield until it truly was impenetrable. He now had no control of his body and if he left it this away for too long, it would die. Anything done to his body wouldn't even be felt.

* * *

Asuka was really glad to see Misato and she did show it. Hugs were exchanged and kind words. It was when Asuka saw Shinji that it all got set off. 

Her eyes narrowed and her face tightened. Shinji shrank back from her gaze and nearly tripped over a chair. Behind Asuka Misato covered her face with her hand in an exasperated gesture.

Finally Shinji managed to stutter out, "Uh, hi Asuka….um …. So I'm glad to see your safe…"

Asuka's reply took a minute to come but when it did it surprised everyone in the room. Asuka straightened, nodded, and replied, "Glad to see you too baka." Then she turned, grabbed Misato around the arm and pulled her out of the room. "Come on, there's stuff you need to know."

Shinji let out a long sigh and hunched over with his eyes closed. It wasn't exactly what he had imagined for a reunion but it wasn't bad either. He wouldn't even have any bruises.

That was when Asuka slapped him upside the head. "Ow! What was that for!" shouted Shinji.

"I told you to come on! Now let's go. Like I said I've got a lot to tell you and Misato," said Asuka.

Shinji obediently followed Asuka out of the room to where Misato waited. It was time the three of them had a talk.

* * *

NERV 8, like the original NERV headquarters, is located underground. However, unlike NERV HQ, NERV 8 did not have a huge cave like the Geo-dome to work with. Its constructors had to dig everything out using explosives. 

Human construction created a much weaker sphere. NERV 8's cave was less then half the size of the geo-dome and structurally weaker. This meant much less space for facilities and of course the increased risk of a cave-in.

While NERV HQ had enough room to include a forest and an entire ecosystem NERV 8 was labs on barracks on command centers.

In the event of an attack on one part of the base the other parts would have little to no warning and preparation time. Soldiers can only move so fast. Angels…

* * *

He still protected himself in his AT-field. The probing had not happened again but why risk it yet? Logani would wait a little bit longer before taking control of his body once more. It wasn't like anyone else could take it was it?

* * *

The eyes snapped open. _Submersion in LCL verified._ _Releasing muscle restraints. _The muscles began to grow exponentially, uncoiling to their maximum size. The one who had once "killed" this messenger was gone and no other would be able to stop it now. For too long it had waited. _Akagi died and I awakened. I am the first to truly awaken and I will not be the last. Nearly all the others are nearby. I can free them using this body._

Outside the tank of LCL the techs were going crazy. They were fleeing and calling for troops. It wouldn't matter. Soon the tank was overfilled and began to crack, and then flood the room. Those who had remained behind were swept away.

Ireul was raised.

* * *

"Sir, alarms are being set off in F sector!" shouted one of the techs in the command center. 

"Put all personnel on red alert. I believe that is were our guest is being held?" commanded Commander Ikari from the bridge.

"Yes sir. Activating set protocols for containment. The whole lab in sector F will be locked up and flooded with Bakelite. Activating… now," reported the red haired, female operator in chair number 3.

"Commander?" asked Rei at his side as always.

Ikari turned to her and looked her over briefly. Should his tool use the Evangelion or go like last time? There was only one Evangelion left… "Go Rei, stop him again. Deadly force is authorized just like last time. Do not enter Sector F. It is likely he'll break free from the building despite our counter-measures."

Rei nodded and went to follow her orders.

* * *

Asuka, Shinji, and Misato were headed to the bridge when it happened. They'd heard the alarms and were going to find out if they were needed. Shinji looked up and saw Rei coming towards them at a mild jog. 

Rei was going to use the stairs but knew that if she needed too she could jump out the windows, land three stories down and run the 5 blocks to Sector F. She just saw Shinji when it happened.

Air was sucked out of the building and all four NERVites were pulled slightly towards the direction of Sector F. They all turned to look at it and they saw the explosion over the other buildings.

The shock wave hit seconds later. It threw all the sucked in air back out. Glass broke and shattered, surrounding buildings toppled and from the command center building they could now see Sector F falling into the ground. Although it was were the explosion started the buildings around it toppled first.

The floor of the command center and Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and Misato plummeted a story and landed, then fell another story and landed on the ground floor.

Rei was up immediately and began grabbing the rest of them. Shinji stumbled to his feet and looked at Rei in confusion. Asuka helped Misato up. Misato cringed when she tried to support herself. Asuka knelt as it to look at Misato's ankle but Misato slapped her hand off. "It's broken and there's nothing we can do about it now," was all she said. Asuka nodded and began to help Misato outside. Shinji grabbed Misato's other side when he realized she was hurt.

Rei bounded past them, out of the building, and into the thick dust cloud outside. As she disappeared she spun around and shouted to Asuka, "Do you still believe he's on our side now?"

Asuka gritted her teeth. She now desperately wanted Logani to be good, if for no other reason but to prove Wundergirl wrong.

"Rei! Wait, where are you going?" shouted Shinji after her but she was already gone. "She'll be killed!" said Shinji with fear written all over his face.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," comforted Misato. It didn't help her case when Rei was launched headlong out of the dust cloud. She crashed into the wall of the command center, which proceeded to fall onto her.

"Rei!" Shinji practically dropped Misato to run to her position. This left Asuka carrying Misato alone. She just barely managed to set Misato down without any injuries.

'I'm gonna kill the baka for that,' thought Asuka. She ran over to where Shinji was trying to undig Rei. "You moron! Are you trying to get Misato hurt even more? And what are you gonna do when you find Rei? Hug her corpse and cry?" Asuka shouted at Shinji. To her surprise Shinji turned to look at her and was crying.

"I just don't want to be helpless," whispered Shinji. It struke Asuka like a blow.

* * *

Here they were. One, two, and three all lined up in a row._Three more and we can be a whole family again. But who to revive first? _That was for later, first to capture them all. 

Funny how the third and second fought even now. They were so unsuspecting.

The dust began to clear as Ireul drew closer to them. It almost seemed to fear it in this form.

* * *

"I… I feel that way too Shinji," Asuka finally managed to get out. 

Shinji stopped crying and looked into her eyes. He held it for a long time.

"Hey you two look out!" Misato yelled from a hundred yards away were she had managed to prop herself up on a piece of rubble.

Then they noticed the shadow they were in. Asuka and Shinji slowly turned to look at were the dust cloud had been. Both their eyes widened as they realized the dust had now completely settled.

It was over two stories tall now; its arms and legs resembled organic springs. They were coiled somewhat tightly but yet looked like they'd unfold in seconds. Its hands were balled into fists with spikes coming out at the knuckles. The knee caps were sharp razorblades arching up. Blades were also attacked at the elbow and apparently the ears. The face was revolting. The temples had metal studs and the eyes were covered over with chrome. The jaw was loose and hanging low, as if the body did not care to waste the energy to hold it up.

To all who saw it it seemed to bleed childhood nightmares. It was the boogieman, Alien, and Freddy. It was worse then every horror story ever told. The will that drove it had been the beast in many stories, if not all. For millennia it had been the side of fear served cold.

Now it raised its hand to take them into its grasp. It had come for Shinji and Asuka. Their time was up.

Or was it? The spring arm uncoiled and shot forward at them only to be stopped inched from Asuka's face by orange hexagons. She gasped in disbelief. The creature in front of them would've looked surprised if fear could show surprise. It drew back its arm and hesitated.

Asuka reached out with one finger and touched the AT-field's surface lightly. Shinji reached forward as well only to pull his arm back in surprise at high heat. He let out a small yelp and Asuka turned to look at him.

He crouched on the ground holding his lightly burned arm and looked up at Asuka. "Why'd it hurt me but not you?" he said to her.

"Because…" Asuka could only begin to imagine why. Twice now something like this had happened. Both times it had saved her from certain death. Could it be her "guardian angel"? No…something much easier then that. It couldn't possible be Rei, she was certainly dead or unconscious. It clearly wasn't Shinji. That left… "No way," she whispered.

The beast drew back again and this time did a two handed overhead slam onto the AT-field. Asuka gasped and fell backwards. The beast struck again and again. Asuka felt herself began to pass out.

Words entered her head "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Surely this beast before her was fear incarnate. Therefore there was reason to fear it.

Somehow she stayed awake, Shinji managed to prop her up now. Just so she could see of course. Asuka opened her eyes and saw that the beast had stopped its assault. It was contemplating something.

It made its decision now. Orange Hexagons cancelled out Orange Hexagons. Shinji and Asuka's eyes widened with fear once more. Now they truly had no protection from its attack. It drew back once more…

* * *

It was time to return. Now their truly was no sign of any AT-field being near his. No probes, whatever had been there had withdrawn. It was time to return to his body.

* * *

_Uh-oh_

'I think uh-oh is a little light isn't it?'

_It doesn't matter. I have your body now and there's nothing you can do about it._

'How sure of that are you?'

_I am a messenger and you are a lowly human. I'm a million times stronger then you'll ever be!_

'What? Have you not been paying attention? I'm Tabri and that makes you my paternal uncle. Besides its more like you're a thousand times stronger.'

… _It still doesn't matter._

'Try me.'

In Logani's head there is a mist. Well, usually. Now Logani threw himself through his mind at Ireul. Were they meet there is no mist. There is lightning, and fire, and darkness, and just a little light.

They impacted and bounced apart and impacted again. It happens over and over again in seconds. Finally both souls must rest in their fight.

_You cannot beat me. I am the very essence of fear. Even if you are only half-human you will fear me._

Ireul parted the mist completely, showing Logani his true form. It is even worse then the body it created in the real world. Darkness, with many eyes, talons, and blades.

_Fear me mortal!_

Logani cannot help but take a step back, his eyes riveted on Ireul.

_Ha ha ha! Now bow and I may let you watch me free my brothers and sisters._

Logani gritted his teeth and managed to communicate, 'Damn your ugly!' It came out slowly, as if forced. It had just the right effect on Ireul though.

_What!_

Ireul flowed backwards as Logani took a step forwards, then another. 'You heard me. You're an ugly piece of shit. That's not scary at all.'

_How can this be? No human can look at me without showing absolute fear!_

'Once more, I'm not human. Besides, didn't anyone ever tell you that fear is in the eye of the beholder?'

Logani walked forward faster now. Ireul began to retreat faster and faster. Logani finally stopped and smiled at Ireul. Confused, Ireul stopped as well. Then Logani lunged forward. Ireul spun around and made a dead sprint for the recesses of Logani's mind were he had dwelt before.

Logani smiled and let out a soft chuckle. "That's two for flinching. And now the hunter has become the hunted."

Logani returned to the modest throne in his head and seated himself there. Now, once more, he had control of his body. It felt good.

* * *

When the beast froze Shinji and Asuka didn't dare to move. They were too frightened that if they moved the thing would somehow come back to life. Besides, help would come soon enough anyway. It always did. 

So when the beast did move again they both nearly wet themselves. The only reason they didn't was because they both didn't have to go anymore, although Asuka would never admit that.

It moved inwards. The chest that had been fifteen feet above the ground lowered as the legs coiled more and more. Soon the coils became obvious muscle strands. Elbows and shoulders became evident as did knees and hips. Soon fingers and toes were obvious. Skin began to recover the body and extremities. The face began to fix itself last. The metal protrusions sunk into the skull and the eyes became uncovered. A nose formed and the ears lost their blade like status. A mouth opened and a tongue reformed. Finally thick blond hair shot out of the scalp.

The last thing that happened was large white wings shot out of the shoulder blades. They spanned twenty-five feet across and nearly the height of the form.

It suddenly became very clear to Asuka who this was. "You!" she screamed at Logani, "You did all this! You nearly killed both of us!"

Logani leaned his head to the side and a loud popping noise radiated across the ruins. "It was Ireul. It's been inside me sin-"

From behind Asuka and Shinji a boulder shot out and pegged Logani in the face. He flipped over and landed on his back. He made as if to rise with his hand stretched up into the air but another boulder flew to him. It arched in so he couldn't see it until it was too late. It shoved his nose into his skull in what would kill any man.

Shinji and Asuka turned around to see Rei leaning on a pile of rubble. Blood covered her clothes, which were in tatters. Shinji turned around when he saw this. Asuka hit him anyway. Rei collapsed and let out a long breath before sleep took her once again.

* * *

It took a while to get this out but I am happy with the end result. Thanks once more to AnimeFan64 for proofreading. Chapter 9 will be a bit shorter then this but should be out in a week or two. Look for it. r&**_R_**


	9. Truthful ConfessionsTruthful Confusions

**Reign of the Tabri**

Chapter 9: Truthful Confessions/ Truthful Confusions

* * *

Cold metal on his back. Tightened leather straps on his ankles and wrists. Electrodes hooked up to his nipples, knees, stomach, and wings.

"He's awake," boomed a loud speaker overhead.

Apparently they had high tech equipment as well. He'd been in full stealth mode and it would take one fabulous piece of equipment to detect that he was awake.

Logani opened his eyes and for a millionth of a second was blinded by the overhead lights. His eyes dilated and he managed to look around. He was in a cold, black, steel room with no personnel. In the corner was the loudspeaker.

Apparently he was not alone. Craning his neck he could see that his feet were aiming right at Rei Ayanami. She stood, in a plug suit surprisingly, watching him. It didn't take an idiot to figure out that she would subdue him at the simplest sign of an escape. He laid his head back on the operating table.

Rei had been very surprised when she'd been ordered to keep an eye on him. She'd thought the boulder driven into his nose would've killed him. Yet, here he was awake. It antagonized her that she'd have to watch over him.

Rei didn't want to be here. There was another place she'd like to be ignored. It was ok. Commander Ikari would come soon.

Then she'd be ignored by two people at the same time. It was a brave new horizon for Rei. She actually began to contemplate why she would allow herself to be used to like this. Her thinking had done this more and more lately. She couldn't think of that many reasons, yet she still did it.

Commander Ikari entered through a door that Logani had barely managed to notice. This room was designed to be identical in all parts. Of course, once you realized were the door was that ceased to matter.

"Murder of NERV employees, attempted espionage on NERV, destruction of NERV facilities and damage to equipment, excessive destruction and attempted resurrection of an angel are the charges you're facing. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty, not guilty, guilty, guilty, and not guilty. Come on Ikari, we both know I'm not going to face charges. If you had your way I'd be experimented on until I rot. You'd learn everything you could from my carcass and then use it to try to beat my siblings."

Gendo smirked as he walked up to Logani's right side. He leaned down so he was whispering in Logani's ear. "Then perhaps you'd like to explain everything that's happened lately? Hm?" Gendo now spoke louder, "Perhaps you'd like to tell me why I've lost my base, my means to ascension, and nearly all my power?" Gendo was now full-blown shouting in Logani's ear.

"You want blood for your losses. Understandable, but it's not mine you want. You want the blood of those that took your base, stole your means to you ascension, and now rule using your power," Logani had not flinched at Gendo's rage and his voice remained level now, "You want Michel's blood and if you kill me, torture me or try to use me you'll never get it." Logani looked straight up into the powerful lights overhead and his mouth creped into a smile. "If the Final Messenger is defeated by the neglected son it shall come to pass that the children rule all. You shouldn't have assumed it'd be your controllable children Gendo."

Gendo turned away in anger and began to walk around the room. Fuyutsuki's reverence for that last piece of the Dead Sea Scrolls was now revealed. Prophecy had warned them of this last attack but somehow they had missed it. They had become so absorbed in defeating the seventeen angels that they had ignored all other threats. Ignorance had been bliss for those few days before the Tabri had attacked. "So what are you then?"

"We are the sons and daughters of Tabris. Nearly all of us have a different mother. We come from all ages, all classes, and all times. We are neither as numerous as humans nor as strong as the messengers. If you would number us as you would an angel we are the nineteenth. We have come last, for no Tabri could exist without humans and messengers existing first."

"Then what would you do? Erase humans to have the world alone? Enslave us for labor and food?"

"We would do many things. Each of us is as unique as a human. Some will follow power while others will instinctively fight against it. I find it depends more on the time with the mother then with our father. He was always fair with all of us. Would treat us as he thought we should be treated. He loved us as a father, yet treated us as equals. For that we sought to protect him."

"I see," Gendo had an inkling of what it was to actually be a father. He also knew, from Yui, how to love another. He thought he knew how they could go together. It just matters that he thought he could understand it. "Then let us speak of Ireul."

"After your defeat in Tokyo-3 I infiltrated the Tabri held city. I accidentally entered a certain test facility. I should've known Ireul could control me when I woke up out of the facility. Later it learned to read my thoughts. Useful for communication but it made it hard to keep secrets from it. There was no way to even plot of getting rid of it," Logani said.

"And then when Rei beat you," two sets of eyes darted to the girl standing in their presence, "Ireul just took over? Then you awakened and beat it. Call me a skeptic but that sounds a little unlikely," replied Gendo.

Logani finally closed his eyes and smiled once more. "Of course it sounds unlikely. But I must confess that's the truth."

"Of course it is," Gendo began to walk towards the door, "we'll have another session like this later."

"No, not later. Gendo if you don't believe me… why don't you check on Ireul?" Logani had to gamble to keep Gendo in the room.

Gendo stopped,Logani's gambit having worked momentarily. "What do you mean?" he said over his shoulder.

Logani brought in a big breath, "I mean Ireul is still inside of me. It's hearing every part of this conversation. I could drive it back but not out. I didn't want it in this base, weak as you are."

Gendo turned around and looked at Logani. Logani had his head propped up so he could look Gendo in the eyes. Gendo turned away.

"They call me the Tabri of Honor you know. At least they used to. They called me it because I always follow my word. I've promised myself I'll bring Michel to justice and I promise to you that Ireul is still inside me. You have the technology, why not just test it? Why risk having an angel in your base?" Gendo slipped out of the room with Logani still yelling after him, "What do you have to lose dammit!"

Logani slumped his head back and waited. Gendo, or anyone, had to believe him eventually. They wouldn't keep him forever. Fear entered Logani's emotion stream. Fear that he would not be the one to bring Michel to justice.

"Begin the tests immediately," Gendo ordered as he sat down, "I want to know if he was telling the truth at all. Let me know if you find a single nanobot."

Gendo assumed his trademark pose at the command chair. Around him the best techs NERV 8 had to offer set to work. Their goal was complicated. Find an irregularity in an irregular human's body.

Sleep was wanted much throughout the night but none dared to so much as ask Gendo for it. It wasn't worth talking to him.


	10. UnAwakening

**Reign of the Tabri**

Chapter 10: UnAwakening

* * *

Shinji was checked out of the hospital last. For some reason it always seemed like he was. 'I'd rather be the last out. At least that means everyone else is ok. At least it means we all get out of the hospital,' he thought. He figured that after yesterday things could only get better. 

During his travel from Japan to Australia Shinji had muscled up a bit. On the ship they'd taken to Australia there hadn't been much to do but go to the gym. Surprisingly it hadn't scared him to work out. Lately he'd noticed a lot of changes in his personality as well. Shinji Ikari was on the fast track to becoming a pessimist.

Of course, he couldn't even so much as think the name. He had come a long way but not that far, not this fast.

He decided to go look for Asuka. He needed to talk to her about some things. When he'd heard her talk before the incident she'd sounded really uptight. Shinji figured spending a week in a base were you only knew Rei and his father would play havoc on anybody. Even his German friend. Especially his German friend.

'So were would Asuka be?' he thought. Probable with someone she knew. It was obviously not Shinji, probable not Rei, and definitely not Shinji's father. That left Misato as the only person Asuka would know. 'Unless she's made some new friends, but judging from her tone the other day she probably hasn't,' Shinji thought.

Shinji decided to check the barracks where they'd been given rooms. Already the overhead lights were beginning to dim and Asuka was sure to be tired. Shinji knew he was.

The destruction caused by the previous day's events had cut facilities down severely and corpses were still being found. Shinji didn't know the exact number of deaths or that the base was at 63 capacity but he knew it must be staggering. Fortunately for him the destroyed part of the base that he'd have to pass through was already cleared. It would be a quiet walk where Shinji could gather his thoughts.

As Shinji walked among the rubble he was more and more consumed with thinking. He realized that he wanted to talk to Asuka so he could find out how she knew that man. He decided he wanted to meet his attacker. He wanted to look him in the eye and ask him why he had done it. Shinji burned for answers.

* * *

"I give these promises to my departed father."

* * *

Shinji's thoughts were interrupted when he heard speaking ahead. Shinji stopped and looked around. Apparently his wanderings had taken him to a canyon of sorts. On either sides of him rubble mountains blocked him in. His choices were limited. Go back or go forward. Most of Shinji urged him to go back the way he had come but a little piece of him urged him to go forward. The little piece told him to hope there was something ahead. 'It'd be safer to go back,' he thought. He turned to go back the way he had come from.

* * *

"On my honor I will never allow your ideals to be betrayed."

* * *

Shinji heard the voice again. He turned once more. 'What if it's someone in trouble?' part of him asked, 'What if they need your help with something?' Shinji began to walk towards the mysterious voice.

* * *

"On my honor I will protect his life so that your sacrifice was not in vain."

* * *

Shinji turned the corner and came across a strange site. In front of him was a shallow pit, about four feet deep and bowled. In the evening light he could just make out a man on one knee. In front of the man a small fire burned. Because of his angle Shinji could see little of the man. 

As Shinji watched the man spoke again in that all too familiar voice, "On my honor and my life I will never allow you or your siblings to be released once more. Should I fail in this I swear to not rest until you are all laid to rest once more." As the man finished the fire roared up to nearly ten feet in height. Shinji let out a small gasp and involuntarily took a step back.

The flames peaked and then leapt outwards. Underneath the umbrella of flame the man calmly stood.

At first Shinji thought he was imagining it but as his eyes adjusted more and more to the fiery glow he realized it was true. The man standing in the pit had wings. Shinji now recognized him as the man from the day before.

Slowly the man lifted his hands above his head. In each hand he held a knife. Slowly recognition dawned on Shinji.

At Misato's apartment there had never been a lot to read. Therefore, after reading every book in his collection several times, Shinji had read a little bit of the Bible. At the time he'd just wanted to try to understand why their enemies were named angels. Looking at the man in front of him Shinji could only think of one thing. One of the chapters on angels had explained how they were immortal except in one way.

An angel who cuts off his own wings willingly is as mortal as any man. That's what it had said. Shinji felt a chill run through him and then watched as the man stabbed over one shoulder and then another. He made the cuts perfect. In an instant both wings were falling to the ground and the man let out a roar.

Shinji gasped as the man picked up his wings and threw them into the fire. Then he stretched out his hands at the fire. Now the fire seemed to be alive. It drew back into a great beast and prepared to lunge.

Somehow Shinji knew he had to do something.

* * *

Logani focused his AT-field around the fire and attempted to crush Ireul. Ireul produced its own AT-field and managed to hold out against his attack. Not only that but Ireul managed to manipulate the fire into the shape of an ancient dragon, the original sign of fear. 

After a few promises Logani had managed to use his AT-field to push all of the nanobots in his blood into his wings. He'd sealed Ireul into his wings and managed to cut them off but then Ireul had counter-attacked. He broke Logani's hold on him and managed to get free of the wings. Logani had just barely managed to prevent another intrusion into his body by throwing the wings into the fire.

Now they had evolved to not only survive in the fire but also thrive in it. They could now control the air flow and direction of the flame. Logani was in trouble.

It seemed a world away in his struggle but from only ten feet away someone yelled, "Look out!" Logani did it just quick enough. He managed to throw himself out of the way of the flame-created dragon. He somersaulted and landed on his feet. Once again he attempted to seal Ireul in his AT-field but it didn't work.

Ireul was about to pounce again when it suddenly stopped. It whipped around and looked at the person who had yelled at Logani to move. Logani saw him too now. 'Ow shit,' he thought to himself for the first time in a long time.

Ireul threw himself at Shinji. Logani threw himself at Shinji. As Logani flew time seemed to slow down. He could tell he wouldn't make it to Shinji in time. Yet, still he tried. As he flew the buzz that had come with shrugging off Ireul left him. His reflexes told him he'd be late by microseconds. If only Ireul's reaction had been slower he might have made it.

Fire washed over Shinji and stopped.

Time froze absolutely.

Logani's expression was surprise. Ireul felt astonishment. Shinji was scared and had his eyes closed. Had he left them open he'd have seen orange hexagons protecting him.

Time started again but slowly. The fire surrounded Shinji, raging all around him. Logani threw up his AT-field around himself as he entered the inferno.

Logani passed through the shield protecting Shinji, grabbed him and continued out of the angel. Logani barely held Shinji above himself as he crashed into the ground. Logan and Shinji skid to a halt against the rock wall.

Behind them Ireul contemplated the most recent turn of events. It understood what had happened. It has seen it in Logani's mind although Logani himself has not realized it quiet yet.

Logani stood up and looked at Ireul. He wiped blood off of his face. Behind him Shinji begins to stand but Logani beckons him down. Ireul began to launch itself forward once more. It's AT-field leading in order to crush any opposition. Seconds behind it is the flame.

'This'll take careful timing,' thought Logani, 'but I think Rei's little trick will work.'

Logani dove aside. Shinji gasped and stood. In front of him the hexagons crash into the ones protecting him. They canceled out in under a second. Meanwhile Logani bounced off the rock wall and went through the hole in Ireul's AT-field created by the cancellation.

Ireul shrieked as Logani began to systematically tear it apart from the inside out. The flame engulfed him, but by then the nanobots had all been destroyed. The fire melted away with nothing else to burn. This left Logani standing in front of a trembling Shinji.

Shinji gasped and stood up. "W-w-who are you?" he managed to get out. He never heard the answer because he passed out moments after finishing his sentence. Logani caught him.

Logani looked at the unconscious thirteen year old in his arms. As far as he knew there was only one viable reason for this. Logani just muttered one name, "Leslen."

* * *

Half an hour later Logani returned to the HQ with Shinji over his shoulder. Logani passed Shinji off to a group of nurses and then began to climb the steps. Halfway up he stopped and locked eyes with Gendo Ikari. Gendo nodded, "One down and only fourteen more to go." 

Logani shook his head, "No. No more. From here on no more will be awakened. I'll stop them."

Gendo nodded calmly, "Yes, yes. And if they are?"

Logani began walking again. When he was even with Gendo he said, "Then they'll die. But I won't let that happen." Logani walked the rest of the way up to the command center. He managed not to slam the door.

* * *

Thanks to AnimeFan64 once more for the proofreading. Also thanks to everyone who continues to read and review this. It means a lot to me. Look for Chapter 10 very, very soon. Surprise. 


	11. Seek and Destroy

**Reign of the Tabri**

Chapter 11: Seek and Destroy

* * *

The elevator dropped deeper and deeper into NERV 12. Its sole occupants, Commander Ikari and Logani, stood with their arms behind them, both starring straight into the doorway that would soon open. 

Commander Ikari scowled, "Stop mocking me," he said.

Logani didn't bat an eyelash, "Mocking you? What do you mean?"

Commander Ikari turned to Logani and smoothly pushed his glasses up with his middle finger. Logani snorted and continued to stare into the doorway. At long last he said, "What precautions will you be taking with them?"

"We've increased the Section Two force around them. They're also not going to leave this base. They can stay here until they rot as far as I'm concerned. Who will have each one?" asked Commander Ikari.

Logani took a minute to think about this question. "It's hard to tell. Some, like Sachiel for example, will be obvious. Others, like Ramiel or Israfel, could go to multiple people. But make no mistake, they won't be split. I could make you a list but I'd say for sure that Shinji will have the most," the last sentence was whispered.

Commander Ikari barely hesitated, "Get me that list."

Logani nodded, "Of course," he considered something for a moment, and then said "I suppose we won't be telling any of them this'?

Commander Ikari barely held in a laugh, "What do you think?"

There was silence the rest of the trip.

* * *

It was nearly a week since the destruction of Ireul and the leaders of NERV, or what was left of it, had decided to meet to plan their strategy. 

And so Misato, Shinji, Asuka, Rei and a large number of generals they didn't know sat in a conference room waiting for Commander Ikari. Misato was about to strike up a conversation with the pilots when Commander Ikari finally entered with someone else.

Asuka's jaw dropped, Rei's eyes narrowed, and Shinji did a little of both. Misato didn't seem to recognize him.

Commander Ikari took his seat at the front of the table and Logani sat directly at his right. He gave a small nod to the three children sitting in the corner.

For some reason this pissed Asuka off. She stood to yell at Logani but was restrained by Shinji grabbing her shoulder. She gasped and turned to look at him. Shinji shook his head, "Not here, not now. Later."

Asuka looked into his eyes for a moment then sat down. She shrugged off Shinji's arms and eyes. She entered her pouting stage.

Commander Ikari, having noticed the near interruption and the way it was stopped, finally spoke, "Fine. Begin."

The meeting began with reports from generals. The told of Tabri troop movements, UN troop losses, and NERV's remaining weapons. The generals had also brought an interesting hologram of the world complete with UN, Tabri, and NERV forces marked. At his seat Logani began scratching down a list.

When the generals had all finished their reports Commander Ikari turned to Logani. Logani handed him the list and nodded. Then Logani stood. "Let's review," he began, "The Tabri now control most of Asia and parts of North and South America. Soon they'll be attacking Australia and the other continents. The UN is being routed and so far has inflicted very minimal casualties on the Tabri. NERV has lost all of its facilities except this base. We have one Evangelion," Logani began walking around the table as he spoke, "At this point we are out maneuvered, out manned and overpowered. We have very limited options."

One of the generals spoke, "Why don't we try to gather more of the mass-production Evangelions? We could use them to beat these Tabri."

"Because they'll be too heavily guarded. Michel will have forty or fifty Tabri on each shipment. And just in case you're wondering that's enough to take down Evangelion 12, Rei, and myself all at once. They're roughly invulnerable," answered Logani.

"Then what do you suggest? Do you just want us to give up all hope and let the world die outside of here?" surprisingly it was Misato who spoke up.

"Of course not," Logani began before Misato cut him off again.

"Good, because I for one won't let that happen. There are millions of people out there that need our help," said Misato.

"The Tabri won't mistreat them too badly," spoke Logani.

Misato stood, "You really think that don't you. You think they'll just be nice to everyone and allow elections in a couple of years. That's optimistic thinking but it doesn't work here. It's cowardly to just assume your rulers will be nice to you. You can't just lay down for them and hope they'll be nice."

"No."

"No?"

"No I don't think they'll do that and I'm not suggesting that we just leave the world in their clutches," Logani said. He turned to consider the wall.

"What then?" said Misato.

Before he could answer Logani straightened and his chin came up so he was facing the surface. He turned around and it was clear to everyone that his pupils were undialated. Asuka swore, she'd seen this happen to him before. "How'd he find us?" Asuka demanded.

"Without Ireul I can't keep up the essence changing. He just had to sniff us out. Here he is. Directly above our heads stands Death," said Logani as his eyes re-dilated and his head lowered to look at Commander Ikari.

"You speak of Death. What is it?" asked Commander Ikari.

"It's one of my siblings. It's very powerful, stronger then I am. I'll need help," replied Logani.

Simultaneously Shinji asked, "Brother?" and Commander Ikari ordered, "Rei, go with him."

Logani ignored Shinji's question, choosing to instead address Commander Ikari, "Rei's not good enough. I'll need Unit 12 for him."

Rei stood and looked at Commander Ikari who shook his head. Instead he said, "Fine. Take Asuka or Rei to pilot it."

"No," said Logani, "Rei isn't strong enough and Asuka hasn't even been allowed to try to synch for a long time. I need Shinji. Without him the whole battle is pointless."

Asuka agreed with Logani, "Yeah! You haven't even let me near Unit 12 yet. And who knows when we'll need my awesome piloting skills again!"

Commander Ikari sighed and Logani spoke again, "I know the risks. I need him."

Misato was about to protest when Commander Ikari nodded and gave in. "Take him," he ordered.

Once again Misato was about to protest but Logani had already grabbed Shinji and was pulling him towards the Evangelion bay. Shinji had to hurry to keep up.

* * *

For Shinji the last week had been one big disappointment. Although he tried left and right to talk to Asuka she would not allow him to get her alone. Although on a positive note she had returned to her normal self. Although on a negative note she had returned to her normal self. Already his ears rung with "Baka" and his arms were sporting small bruises. It had gotten rather frustrating but Shinji had refused to give up. 

But now his thoughts turned to Eva. He hadn't piloted since he'd killed…

They reached the hanger bay quickly enough but if Logani had turned around he'd have seen Shinji crying as he was pulled along. Logani pulled him into the elevator to reach the top of the Eva and they began their ascent. Now Logani gave Shinji a good look. "What are you crying for?" he asked calmly.

"I- I can't pilot again," sniffled Shinji.

"And why not? This isn't Unit 1 you know." asked Logani.

"No, it's not that. You wouldn't know this but," Shinji managed, "but last time I piloted I killed a very good friend."

"Really," whispered Logani, "You were good friends with him."

"Y-Yes. I had to kill him, he was the last Angel," Shinji tearfully replied, "He made me kill him! And now I won't pilot again."

"You know," whispered Logani, "If he could hear you say that he'd be very unhappy." Logani was now starting to wonder if he'd chosen the right pilot for this job.

"What do you know!" shouted Shinji. He stood and looked at Logani with a half-crazed look in his eye, "You never knew Kowaru! You weren't there!"

Now that just pissed off Logani. He grabbed Shinji and shoved him up against the mesh walls of the elevator. He made Shinji look into his eyes as he spoke, "I think its time you learned a few truths. I knew "Kowaru" a lot longer then you did. Believe me when I say this. He was my **father**."

Shinji squirmed around in Logani's hold until the meaning of his words sunk in. Then he stopped and looked Logani right in the eye. His mouth hung open, almost comically in fact.

Logani released his hold slightly, allowing Shinji's feet to hit the ground. Logani's eyes stayed locked on Shinji's as he spoke, "He's all of the Tabris' father. That's why they all want you. You killed daddy."

Shinji began to sniffle once more. Logani sensed another impending rainstorm and moved to avert it. "Hey. Chin up," he said. If he knew anything of Leslen it would help.

Shinji looked up once more. The sniffling had stopped for now. Logani allowed him to stand once more and both turned to look as the elevator door opened. Standing in front of them now was Evangelion 12.

It wasblatantly orange. Shinji thought it looked similar to Unit 00 before its explosion. The biggest difference was that instead of a cyclops it was a triclops. It had blue along the shoulder blades and yellow around the feet. It was an interesting looking Evangelion. 'Of course,' thought Shinji and unknown to him Logani, 'aren't they all?'

It didn't take long for Shinji to switch into his plug suit and board the monstrosity. As the LCL began to fill his lungs he let out a big sigh. He had gotten used to not having to do this anymore. He was going to miss that.

* * *

On the surface Death waited patiently. It could tell that Logani, and better the Third Child, were on their way up. Soon it would have one interesting fight. 

Still, Death couldn't help but wonder why the Third Child was coming up as well. And what was this other thing? Its essence seemed somehow smaller then anything else he'd ever felt before. Almost as if it was repressed…

Death did a back flip. The peak was roughly forty feet above the desert ground. Were he had been seconds before opened up and Evangelion 12 rose into the vacuum.

Death reeled backwards. Of all the things it had expected to fight here an Evangelion was at least tenth. Death was not affixed to deal with this sort of a thing; its specialties were more targeted on assassinations and smaller targets.

Still, Death comes to all things and Evangelion 12 was alive.

Death opened with an AT-field swipe across the Evangelions shoulder and arching into its hip. Unfortunately Unit 12 countered with its own AT-field, a modest thing that stopped the attack outright. Death attacked again. And again.

Inside the entry plug Shinji was sweating. This Death thing continued to attack no matter what he did. Try as he might he couldn't find a weakness in the assault. To make matters worse Eva 12 seemed to have a weaker AT-field then Unit 1.

While Shinji sweated it out in the entry-plug Logani prepared for his attack. Death had to concentrate completely on Unit 12 or else lose its precious offence. Hopefully it would never see Logani coming.

Of course Death sees all. It whipped around and led with a foot sweep but Logani had already jumped and was coming down with a two-handed smash. Death slid out of the way and knocked Logani away with an AT-field smack that was barely blocked from becoming a killing blow.

By now Shinji had recovered from Death's original offensive and shot out his hand to stop Death in its tracks. Unfortunately for him Death didn't make tracks and cleanly jumped over the oversized hand.

Logani watched Death come over the hand and something immediately came to mind. He thinned his AT-field until it was hair thin and began quickly stabbing Death with it. In mid-air Death could not dodge the attack and was forced to block. Logani's focused AT-field slammed into one cubic centimeter of Death's AT-field. For a moment it looked like it might break through but then Death launched itself into a dive and managed to dodge the attack.

Death rolled, came up and was about to take off at a run for Logani. Instead Shinji brought Unit 12s hand down right on top of him. He let out a long sigh. In the plug he turned to look at Logani who was frantically trying to signal to him. Shinji flipped on his outside speakers. "What?" he asked.

Logani used his AT-field to amplify his voice so Shinji could hear him. "Close your fist! He's alive dammit! Close your fist!"

Shinji turned back to were his fist was stuck into the ground. Suddenly the whole Eva lurched. Shinji gasped before he was thrown back and tripped. With a crash Unit 12 came down onto the ground.

Logani yelled, "Shinji!" and then barely turned to block Death's first blow. It had come on him so fast it was amazing. He parried and fell back, parried and fell back. Death was quickly beating him towards the downed Unit 12.

* * *

"They are going to lose!" shouted Asuka at the screen in front of her. She, along with all other members of the meeting, were gathered in the patched command center. 

Commander Ikari turned and nodded to Rei. She took off for the nearest exit. She might not make it in time but she was their only other real option.

* * *

Shinji reached for the controls groggily. His brain was just beginning to function and realize that he had been knocked over by such a small enemy. 

Shinji looked out and managed to see a large dust storm approaching. Straining his eyes he could just see two somewhat familiar forms in the cloud. They were closing fast.

Shinji jerked on the controls to right his Eva. It began to move just as Logani and Death reached him.

Left with no were else to go backwards Logani jumped up Unit 12. Death followed and attacked Logani once again when he had just landed on the knee-cap. Logani blocked again and jumped backwards once more. This time they impacted at the Evangelions elbow. The next time was at the shoulder blade. By this time Shinji had fully erected the Eva.

"Aarghh!" Shinji shouted as he felt Death bypass Logani to hit him in the face. Shinji began to fall once more.

As he fell Death and Logani lost their footholds and began their descent as well. Shinji instinctively reached out for something and somehow grabbed Death around the waist. Death immediately began to squirm in his grasp.

The impact on the ground broke all three combatants hold on reality for a moment. Death was the first to recover but unfortunately for it Shinji had held his grasp. It began slamming its fists into the hand of the Evangelion. Shinji felt jolts of pain in his arm but strengthened his hold none the less.

Logani recovered last, not surprising since Unit 12 had very nearly landed on him. He got up and stumbled to where Death was hammering away at Shinji's hand. Logani turned to look at Unit 12's head and shouted into his AT-field, "Put him in orbit."

Shinji shifted and drew back his arm to throw. Death tried to bring out his AT-field once more but Logani blocked it quickly enough. Shinji threw like his life depended on it because he knew it probably did.

Death broke orbit.

Rei arrived on the surface moments later. Logani had already popped the hatch to the entry plug and was pulling Shinji out. Shinji spat out the LCL and let out a hoarse thank you. Retrieval crews were fast, but seemed to take a long time. Don't they always?

Logani handed Shinji off to Rei before he headed down to the command center. Once he was on the bridge he was greeted with a few cheers. He didn't care. He headed straight to Commander Ikari.

He spat out a bit of his blood and then spoke, "The kids need lessons Ikari, lots of practice too."

Gendo just nodded calmly. If they were too beat this new threat they needed to be a lot stronger then this.

* * *

What'd I say after 10? Thanks once more to AnimeFan64 and the same people as before. Now review me. r&**_R_**


	12. ReSynch

**Reign of the Tabri**

Chapter 12: ReSynch

* * *

Asuka pressed the button on her wrist and relaxed as the plug suit conformed to her. She lowered her arm and turned to look into the door. Outside lay Unit 12 and her first synch test in over three months. 

She set her face in a mask of determination. She set out at a brisk pace, determined to make this. It had been a long time since her last experience with piloting and she was now over it. She promised herself she'd never be so helpless again.

Flashes of the mind rape surfaced in her brain. Just before she reached the exit of the locker rooms she fell to her knees and began sobbing. She'd been so useless.

So useless.

Mother had laughed at her. Mother had wanted her to die with her.

Asuka had been a bad daughter and not done what her mother wanted her to do.

Naughty children always get punished.

* * *

She awoke in her room. The lights were shut off except a small lamp in the corner. There, snoring in a chair was Shinji. 

'He must have found me and brought me up here,' she concluded. It made her more then a little angry that he had found her so weak. A big part of her wanted to yell at him. She opened her mouth and was already beginning to vocalize when she thought better of it. She sat up and hung her head in her lap.

She was about to begin crying again when the door opened. Asuka looked up, or tried to. Her hair blocked most of her vision and she was forced to shake her head to get it out of the way. Through tear stricken eyes she saw a figure in the doorway. It beckoned for her to get up and follow it.

Asuka nodded mutely and slipped out of bed. Her clothes had not been removed but she still had to carefully pick her way across her room. She both didn't want to wake Shinji and didn't want to trip on any of the stuff on the ground. To say Asuka's room was dirty was like saying she was a college graduate. Both would get you a big, "Duh."

The figure held the door for her when she slipped out. It then closed the door and nodded down the hall. "There's a conference room down there you can use to get cleaned up. I'll be in in a few minutes," Logani said in his perfectly flat voice. It sounded a lot like a male Rei. Rei the doll and now Logani the doll.

'But Rei was a better pilot then you at the end,' the darker part of her mind screamed, 'and Logani had to save you twice.'

Asuka found the conference room and used the sink in the far corner to wash away all marks of her tears. She set about tidying up her hair but before she could finish she heard then door close again. She turned around to find Logani taking a seat at the conference table. "Take a seat," he gestured at any of the six chairs at the table.

Asuka decided to instead lean back against one of the counters at her end of the room. "What do you want?" she said in her best angry voice.

"Just to talk. Or listen. I think you have some things you need to get off you chest and I think I'm qualified to hear them," he said.

Asuka shouted now, "What makes you think you're qualified to hear about me! You don't even know anything about me."

Logani sighed and brought his palms onto his eyes. He rubbed them there for a moment. Then he leaned forward on the table, with both elbows on it. "OK. I've sound proofed the room and my ears. Your shouting is pointless. No one will even hear it and you'll just waste your breath."

Asuka gaped at him. Then she opened her mouth and began screaming obscenities at Logani in several languages. His only response was to pretend to clean out his ear with his finger. "Come again?" he asked.

Asuka gritted her teeth and then slid back against the wall. She hung her head in defeat and once again had to hold back tears. Logani sighed. "Look. I don't want to make you cry. It's just that I think you have some things you need to tell someone. Now, like I said these rooms are now soundproofed. You can say things here and no one else will ever have to hear them. Also, I swear to not tell anyone. OK?" Logani said.

Asuka looked straight at him. Her facial expression showed a lot of confusion and still a little anger. "How can you just sound proof the room like that?" she kept her voice low and had just a touch of anger in it. She was mostly in control.

"I used my AT-field," was his simple reply.

"How?"

"Well…it's sort of hard to explain. You see the AT-field is what protects your soul-"

"Yeah. I think I heard Ritsuko say that once."

"Right. Well you see it works like this. The more you need to protect your soul the more you need your AT-field. Some people, perhaps even you, will have a lot of secrets and therefore have a lot of AT-field to protect them."

Asuka looked skeptical, "The more secrets you have the bigger the AT-field? Then how's that work for the Angels?"

"The angels are, shall we say, in a different league. Their AT-fields are more produced by the shear strength of their soul. But any human will have a bigger AT-field if they keep more secrets."

"Then what about you? What about all of the Tabri? You said you were half-human and half-Angel," she said the last sentence like an accusation.

"In time. But anyway even if you have a lot of secrets you can't use your AT-field. You have to need less protection for that."

"So you have to keep fewer secrets to be able to use your AT-field? That doesn't make sense."

"But it does. You have to keep secrets for it to grow, but then show the secrets to people in order to use your AT-field."

"That sounds impossible."

"But its not. Think about when you were attacked by Ireul. I bet you said something to Shinji. Something about how you really feel. That allowed you to use your AT-field Asuka. You released some of your protection on your soul by telling him something. In turn, you got to keep breathing."

Asuka scrunched up her face and thought for a few moments. Then her face lightened exponentially, "Yeah! He said something about how he didn't want to feel useless and I agreed with him."

"See? Showing secrets removes the need for such a strong protective shield on your soul. You can then use your AT-field to protect your body."

"You say some of my AT-field. Then how was my AT-field able to protect me and Shinji? I just told one truth and yet I got a whole ton of power."

"Humans are very numerous. You all keep tons of secrets from one another. Therefore you all have very large AT-fields; you just can't use them very much. In all seriousness if you divulged all your secrets, even at this stage of your life, you'd be able to crush an Angel with your AT-field."

Asuka's jaw dropped to its limit. "Of course," hurried Logani, "You probable will never tell everyone everything. Would you really want to?"

Asuka thought about this for a moment. Memories of her mother and her childhood surfaced. Thoughts of her father and his new wife. "No," she whispered, "there are some things that should never be told to others."

"Right. Now here's another thing. Think about Eva. What do you have to do to be able to pilot?"

Asuka gasped and then repeated Rei's immortal words, "You have to open yourself to Eva."

"Right. Only Eva is a representative for you. Therefore if you keep secrets from yourself you will not be able to pilot Eva."

"Secrets from myself? What do you mean secrets from myself! I'm totally honest with myself! I'm-" Asuka cut off as she thought about how in her last days of piloting Eva 2 she had refused to accept, at least on the inside, that she was worse then Shinji. Then, when she did admit it, she had become so overcome with grief that she was unable to be honest with Eva. That was where her problems with piloting had come from. "So, you're telling me that if I'm honest with myself I'll be able to pilot Eva."

Logani nodded, "Glad to hear you get it," he glanced at his watch, "Wow. It's late. Look I know you've got a synch test to get to so good luck. Remember what I said."

"Synch test? Another one? I-" Asuka cut off again as she looked around. The room was growing fuzzy as Logani stood to leave. He smiled and walked out the door.

Asuka awoke on the floor of the girls' locker room. No one had found her, no one had moved her. She looked up at the wall and realized that she had been out for only a few minutes. It had seemed like hours.

Asuka sat against the wall and looked at her hands, "But was it just a dream? Was what he said real?"

Asuka looked deep inside herself for the answer to this. However, near the end of her search she found it was really on the surface. 'It doesn't matter as long as I believe is was real,' she thought. Asuka stood and ran out of the room.

Moments later she strutted across the bridge to Evangelion Unit 12 and boarded the entry plug. Sitting in the entry plug she closed her eyes and decided on what she fought for, who she loved, and who she hated. She did not simply make up the answers; they were simply buried deep inside her.

Asuka found them and pulled them to the surface. In the entry plug she accepted what her mind really thought. She was honest with herself. She slipped on the neural clips and told the Eva what she had decided.

* * *

Asuka stared at the monitor in the lab room. 67.438 was her synch score. She couldn't believe it. It was damn near better then her old peak with Unit 2, 67.441. She couldn't wait to try to synch with her old unit once more. Assuming she ever recovered it. 

Shinji walked up beside her and congratulated her. "Good job," he commended.

Asuka nodded. She turned to look at him and gave her devilish smile, "Better watch out Shinji. I'm coming to get you."

Shinji blinked in confusion. Asuka turned to walk out of the room, her hands in her dress pockets. Shinji sighed, 'This day keeps getting weirder and weirder. First the dream and now this.'

At one of the consoles in the room Logani smiled. Sometimes the truth worked.

* * *

At his desk Michel smiled. "You boy," he began, "are going to be a very valuable asset soon." 

Across from Michel, being held on his shoulders by two Tabri, cringed Touji Suzuhara.

On a third side of the desk Zacherial scowled. He knew that he would have to kill Touji now. He was not happy about it. Michel's words rung in his word and he looked up in surprise.

Michel spoke again, "Take him to the brig," he addressed the two Tabri holding Touji. Then he turned to Zacherial, "Good work. It turns out it was a good thing you didn't kill him. Dismissed."

Confused, Zacherial left.

Michel smiled. He pressed a button and a screen at his left popped up. He turned to address it and the person on the other end, "Are you prepared?"

On the other end Vernide twisted one of her red locks around her finger, "Like fish in a barrel," she reported.

"Good. Zacherial has redeemed himself, so must you. Go now and capture the other three children," Michel ordered.

Vernide snarled and nodded. She turned to do his bidding and the communication ended.

* * *

Well its sure as hell original. Thanks again to AnimeFan64 for proofreading. I got another reveiw! Keep them coming people. 


	13. ARchRIVAL

**Reign of the Tabri**

_"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."- "God"_

Chapter 13: ARchRIVAL

* * *

Logani headed to his room. Affecting the children in their dreams had been no easy task. This, coupled with the last couple days fighting, yielded exhaustion. 

As he'd told Asuka and Shinji: their AT-fields were huge. They both were unwilling to share any of their inner feelings with anyone. 'Perhaps I could get them to tell,' he thought, 'Misato.'

The biggest problem Logani was trying to understand was how Shinji could pilot so well. The boy would not admit any of his feelings to himself. It wasn't as much that he hid them as much as couldn't decide on them. Did he hate his father? Did he love him? What about Asuka? Misato?

Then there was Rei. Logani hadn't tried to enter her dreams. She surely would've detected his intrusion. Of course she wouldn't have done anything without Ikari's order but still… She didn't need help half-angel that she was. Her potential was maximized at this point.

Logani collapsed onto his bed after throwing off his assortment of clothes. 'Ask Ikari for new clothes,' he thought before sleep took him.

* * *

Asuka was in a good move as she headed to the showers. She decided to head towards one of the deeper locker rooms were she would be less likely to be disturbed. Her yellow sundress flowed in the air conditioning. 

She yawned as she headed downwards. Even though she'd just slept in the locker room she didn't feel rested. Perhaps it was how the dream had seemed so real. Perhaps it was exhaustion from her first successful synch test in months.

It didn't matter. She'd shower and then go back to her room for a nap.

* * *

Shinji left the bridge and decided he needed some fresh air. He headed back up into the main cave. A nice walk through one of the smaller parks would do wonders for his head. 

His head hurt a little bit from the bump that had caused his loss of consciousness and dream. It had been an interesting bump. He didn't even know what he had hit. He'd just suddenly started having the dream.

When he awoke there was a small bruise on his head. Therefore he assumed he must have hit something. What else could it have been? The air would certainly help it.

* * *

"Third squad reporting," reported Cimmerii, "Just say when to go." 

He turned and nodded to Adlevo. She returned his nod. They were prepared.

* * *

Misato was reviewing reports in her office. Personnel counts and damage estimates continued to pour in from all over the world. Misato was currently reading a report about refugees. 

Soon refugees from the other NERV bases would be arriving and they'd need both beds and food. After the Tabri had taken their Evangelion it had become pointless for them to stay were they were. Most had tried to return to a normal life but had simply not been allowed too. National governments no longer wanted anything to do with NERV.

She let out a long sign and threw the folder into the done stack. 'How the mighty have fallen,' she thought sarcastically, 'the one time head of operations at NERV has sunk to being a hotel receptionist.'

She opened another folder, this one about an apparent Tabri retreat, and began reading. It sounded good in the beginning. It was still boring though.

* * *

"Fourth squad reporting," reported Aevum, "We're clear to go." 

She turned and nodded to Tristitia. He returned the nod. They were prepared.

* * *

Rei stood at Commander Ikari's side as always. She waited patiently to be needed once more. 

She didn't really have anything interesting to think about.

* * *

Commander Ikari stood with Rei at his side as always. He waited patiently for her to be needed once more. 

He did really have something interesting to think about. He just was unwilling to tell anyone about it.

In his hand Adam seethed uncomfortably.

* * *

"First squad reporting," reported Clarus, "just give the word." 

Around her Censum, Dulcis, and Fidelia nodded. They all turned to face their targets in unison. They were prepared.

* * *

The second squad was late in reporting in. Vernide bit her lip and twirled her hair around her finger. She was not very happy with them for this. "What's taking so long second group?" she demanded. 

"We're having trouble finding the target," reported the Tabri. "She doesn't appear to be in our search zone."

"Hurry up and find her," Vernide demanded. 'Ow screw waiting,' she thought. "I'm coming in with fifth squad to assist. Everyone else hold tight," she ordered in her usual iron-fist demeanor.

She flicked her wrist and the two Tabri assigned to Fifth group followed her into the tunnels they'd dug into NERV 8.

In mere minutes they had descended to the correct level of NERV 8. Vernide carefully blew the wall up. The AT-field explosion made no noise. She nodded and her assistant Tabri launched out in front of her to search. Each entered a room, searched it, and as Vernide continued to walk down the hallway, left it and began to search another.

Vernide continued to walk as if captivated. She was drawn to one room like a fly to molasses. When she reached it she lifted a hand and the other two Tabri rushed to join her. She pointed at the door and one of the Tabri nodded.

It kicked the door down so the other could jump into the room quickly enough. Vernide followed it in after only a few seconds. Inside she found her prize. "Hello pet," she whispered seductively, "Remember me?"

On the bed sat Asuka, in her yellow sundress, scared to near death.

Vernide turned to the Tabri and orderedhim to take her to the surface.His nod went unheeded as Vernide was already ordering the other squads to capture their prey.

* * *

Rei spun around on her heel to look at the vent but it was too late. Four AT-fields shot out and latched onto an appendage. Pulled by her arms and legs Rei could only yell as she was drug into the now open wall. 

"Rei!" Commander Ikari shouted as she flew past him. He spun around and his eyes widened at the destroyed wall. He hadn't heard a thing. A Tabri, female, ran out and grabbed him. She unceremoniously threw him over her shoulder and turned to run.

The female Tabri caught up to her siblings in a few quick strides. From their it was a quick trip to the surface.

* * *

Shinji closed his eyes and yawned. For a brief moment his senses were completely down. It was a blessing for the Tabri sent to capture him. 

When Shinji opened his eyes he found himself hundreds of feet above the floor of the cavern. He opened his mouth to yell but was stopped by an AT-field. One of the Tabri in front of him shook a finger from side to side. The other just shook his head.

They wrapped him up like a mummy. Then they carted him off to what he surely thought was going to be his tomb.

* * *

Misato felt herself slowly growing groggier and groggier until she finally fell asleep. 

Then the two Tabri sent to capture her burst in the door. They had their AT-fields on her before they even realized she was asleep. One snorted a laugh before the other gave her a dark look. "Just get her and let's go," he demanded.

Then Misato woke up. Bleary eyed she slowly realized what the Tabri had said. She reached for her pistol. The two Tabri began to argue. 'Perfect,' she thought. She pulled out her gun and snapped off a quick series of shots.

Their AT-fields blocked the shots. Then Misato's clip fell out of her gun. Then she found herself constrained by invisible walls. The two Tabri continued to argue as the carted her off.

* * *

Vernide eyed them all over. First Child, Second Child, Third Child, Commander Ikari, Major Katsuragi. Just what Michel had ordered. "All right maggots," she said, "Let's get going." 

The Tabri looped their At-fields together and took off in a giant diamond shaped UFO. Tokyo-3 was their destination.

* * *

'Well this is great,' thought Logani, 'all of them captured by Vernide. What a lucky day.' 

He was starting to get annoyed by Michel's random ability to find them whenever they found any kind of shelter. Soon annoyance would be replaced with anger.

As soon as he could move he'd be doing something about this.


	14. ReParasite

**Reign of the Tabri**

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."- "God"

Chapter 14: ReParasite

* * *

As they came closer and closer to where they had originally come from they had time to think. 

Shinji thought of how this all was his fault. His depression was at an all time high. Or would that be a new low?

Rei thought of her sisters. She thought of her mortality and how she had wasted so much of her life standing next to Commander Ikari.

Misato thought of Kaji. She thought of how she would soon see him again in the afterlife she believed in.

Gendo thought of all his plans. He thought of how they had all come crashing down around him.

Logani thought of his brothers and sisters. He thought of ways to free the children.

All expected to join their lost ones soon.

Asuka didn't think. All she felt was anger. As she rushed closer and closer to her last home the anger increased.

* * *

Vernide brought them in just as planned. Right before they entered the city they landed. From the South came a parade in the form of the party. 

At the front was Vernide, showing of her fresh captures. Behind her marched Shinji, followed by Rei, Asuka, Gendo, and Misato. The rest of the recently deployed soldiers marched along the sides as guards.

All the Tabri from across the globe had come to Tokyo-3. They had come to see what was to be done to the most unholy of all unholies. They wanted to see what Michel would do to Shinji Ikari.

They packed the parade route. Hundreds of Tabri watched from skyscrapers while others looked on from the streets. They waved fists, they cheered, and they spat at the prisoners.

Through it all they simply trudged on, simply too afraid to stop.

Finally it came to an end. The prisoners finally entered an entrance to the geo-front near the center of the city. Every living Tabri had now laid eyes on these prisoners. Not one of them would've missed it for the world.

They reached the bottom of the elevator and were unceremoniously pushed out by their guards. They found themselves at a level that they had last visited on the eve of defeat. The silent battleship remained but the water had all been removed. "Terminal Dogma," Gendo whispered, "Looks like they did some remodeling while we were gone."

The remark earned him a shove to the back. "Very quaint Ikari," said a voice they'd all heard at least once before. Michel entered the cavern from were Lilith was kept. He wore a red cape that matched his eyes perfectly. Similarly, his clothes were completely white like his hair. "Finally we meet again," he turned to Shinji and leaned in so their faces were nearly touching, "And Mr. Ikari I must say it is good to see you once more." Shinji flinched back and Michel laughed. Michel turned back to Gendo and whispered something in his ear. Gendo straightened and gritted his teeth angrily.

He opened his mouth to say something but found he could not talk. Michel laughed, "An AT-field will do that to you," he said. Then he turned to Vernide, "Tie them up for the show," he turned to face the bowled cavern, "This will be a show that no one will soon forget!"

In the back of the prisoner group Asuka hung her head and whispered muted curses.

Vernide ordered them secured to wooden posts, hands chained behind their backs. She made sure Shinji's were extra tight, "Don't run off now," she smirked when Shinji groaned in pain.

Then the Tabri began filling the chamber. They lowered down from the elevator shaft; they all wanted to see this. They all knew they'd remember this until they died.

Tabri packed Terminal Dogma. Over three thousand of them fit into the cavern. Some created seats, some floated on their AT-fields, and some sat on the ground. Closer to the center was blocked off for Michel's save few. They would be the ones to crush any escape attempt with brutal power. Michel would of course stand at the center and address the conclave.

The prisoners were chained to wooden posts in a circle but with one hole in it. Shinji was opposite the hole with Rei and Asuka to his left and right. To Asuka's right were four blank posts. To Rei's left Commander Ikari and Misato were chained. Beyond Misato were five more blank posts.

Any wondering about the extra posts was stopped when more prisoners were brought in. First were three people Misato didn't recognize. The next one though, that one she did know. "Hyuga!" she gasped out in disbelief. This earned her and Makato kicks in the back. Makato was chained across from Misato so she could not communicate with him. Because she was facing outwards she couldn't even remotely look at him. She still gaped a little though.

Makato had never made it out of Tokyo-3. 'He's been their prisoner this whole time,' Misato reasoned. She could not imagine what must have been done to him.

Shinji recognized the next two prisoners first. "Kensuke," he whispered so as not to draw attention to himself, "Hikari."

Sure enough the next two prisoners were none other then Kensuke Aida and Hikari Horaki. Shinji was not glad to see them. He hung his head as he thought, "No…not them too. They didn't even fight the angels." Shinji returned to his moping that had begun here so long ago.

Another pair of unnoticed prisoner filed in and was locked down further to Asuka's right. Asuka had kept her head up through all of this, even thought her face was covered in her hair. She barely seemed to react to Hikari and Kensuke entering. It was the last prisoner, the one who would be chained next to her, that she reacted to.

Asuka opened her mouth to yell but thought better of it at the last moment. Touji had his hands handcuffed in front of him. He was lowered down from above like the others but he kept his head up. He actually hadn't given up yet. Asuka smirked at his defiant attitude. A Tabri kicked him forward and towards the last wooden post.

Touji leaned back against the post as a Tabri removed his handcuffs in order to chain him to the post. His head turned first to the right and then to the left. Asuka looked at him and gave him her meanest looking smile. "Nice to see you too bitch," muttered Touji. Then he was chained to his post.

The former NERV heroes waited in their preferred styles. Rei starred unblinkingly at everything. Shinji hung his head and cursed himself for getting innocents involved in this, never considering that he too was innocent. Touji faced his executioner in a way that said "Hey. Get it over with already I don't have all day." Hikari continued to look for an escape route when their clearly was not one. Kensuke used his probable last moments on Earth to look around in awe at the depths of NERV. Misato wished she were drunk. Gendo contemplated the number of prisoners. Asuka looked off into space.

Or at least she appeared to. In actuality she stared straight at Michel. It was his head that would solve this, at least in the reflection of her eyes.

* * *

Michel started it off simple, "Brothers and Sisters!" he shouted at the conclave. They cheered at his word. They quieted at his signal. "Brothers and Sisters! We have found them!" 

Cheering erupted once more. Michel gave himself a moment to bask in it. Then he raised his hands again. The Tabri allowed him to continue, "Now! Right now! We will avenge our father!"

Cheering and then calming. "How will we avenge him brothers and sisters!" Michel shouted.

"With his blood!" the assembled mass roared. Michel shook his head. Misunderstanding the Tabri shouted again louder, "With his blood!"

"No!" Michel's word rang around the amphitheater. The Tabri quieted absolutely, confused. The prisoners raised their heads in surprise. Were they to be saved?

"I have a fate much better for them!" Michel shouted. The Tabri screamed in delight. The prisoners returned to their silent contemplation once more.

"Behold," Michel shouted, "I have gazed into the abyss long brothers and sisters. And the abyss has gazed into me! I have seen what can be undone!" The amphitheater was absolutely quiet. "I," shouted Michel, "can bring back Father!"

A collective gasp filled the room. "His soul exists on! As do all of the seventeen! They live on," Michel pointed at Shinji, Asuka, and Rei before he continued, "inside their destroyers!" The Tabri roared with delight. They would be a family once more.

Shinji was looking up now. His eyes were the size of saucers, "Y-you can bring Kowaru back?" he said. Asuka turned her head to look at him. Shinji repeated what he had said again, this time louder. "Y-you can bring Kowaru back!"

The Tabri all turned to look at him. It was like someone looking at a cockroach. Michel snickered. "Yes," he slurred, "I can bring your precious Kowaru back."

Shinji's smile nearly split his head. "But I won't," Michel said. Shinji's face collapsed. "I," shouted Michel "will bring back Tabris!"

The Tabri were beyond measurements of happiness. "Do it! Do it now!" they cheered, "We can not wait another moment! You must give us Father back Michel!"

"In a moment!" Michel said all sympathetic like, "As I have said, I can bring back all the messengers! And as my grand finale I will bring back Father!"

Asuka opened her mouth to say something but was stopped when Michel whipped around to face her. She gritted his teeth and prepared to speak to her tormentor. But before he could Michel shot out his arm and with it his AT-field. It struck Asuka in the forehead.

Asuka's head hung limp for a moment. The Tabri all stared straight at Asuka. Hikari let out a soft squeak of fear for her friend. Shinji turned to look at Michel, rage freeing itself inside of him. Then Asuka's head came back up. There was no smile, just a look straight at Michel.

Michel had his eyelids barely cracked. His grin was ferial. This just pissed Asuka off more.

"This," spoke Asuka in a voice not entirely hers, "is where the abyss is closed."

Michel straightened a little in confusion. He took a step back.

Asuka ripped her arms free from the post and to her sides. While the broken chains were still in mid-air she brought out her AT-field.

Well, truth be told it wasn't really hers.

Logani emerged from what had been Asuka. His AT-field rapped around the post he'd been secured too and ripped it free. He broke it apart into toothpick sized pieces and then lifted his hand. They shot out in all directions at lightning speeds. Propelled by his AT-field they passed through Tabri AT-fields that were already raised.

The shards of wood impaled nearby Tabri and left them momentarily stopped. Logani whipped his AT-field around at the prisoners. He aimed to free them with one swipe.

He didn't quite make it.

Hundreds of AT-fields grabbed onto him and lifted him free from the center of Central Dogma. He found himself hundreds of feet above the ground in a matter of seconds. His arms were pressed to his sides, his feet locked together, and his head aligned so he could not look down. Or up for that matter.

Michel recovered rather quickly from his impalement. He shook himself to get wooden shards out of his body. Then he laughed his darkest laugh. "Logani!" he shouted when he was done laughing, "You have come back to us!"

Those few Tabri who had not recognized their brother on site let out a sharp blow of air. Few did it.

Screams of "Traitor!" and "Deserter!" assaulted Logani like whips he could not escape from. His sibling's words seemed to sting him more then their AT-fields that held him.

"I knew someone had infiltrated us," shouted Michel from the ground floor, "I just could not figure out whom. I must confess you were low on my list though."

Logani tried to spit, only to have it shoved back up his throat by an AT-field. Michel laughed more, the Tabri laughed as well.

Shinji stopped listening after he got the gist of Michel's shouts. Logani had sneaked in as Asuka and Michel had known it. 'But where's Asuka?' thought Shinji, 'And how did Michel know it wasn't really Asuka?'

Shinji thought and thought. He had a long time because Michel seemed to be amazingly long winded. He shouted for nearly an hour, something that would make even a politician hoarse.

Finally Michel winded up, "And now we not only have the four children but our fearless leader as well!"

Logani tried to say something from high above the crowd but it was blocked out by an AT-field in his mouth. Gendo decided he knew what Logani had said. "You're wrong!" he said. Every eye in the cave turned to Gendo, except for Logani who could not move his.

"You don't have Asuka!" Gendo continued with a grin on his face, "You can't bring them all back!"

Michel laughed for what seemed to be the hundredth time. "And before door number one," he said flicking his wrist to one of the unrecognized prisoners. The skin of the prisoner fell off in under a second to reveal Asuka. "We have the second child!" shouted Michel like some kind of circus ringmaster. The Tabri cheered.

Shinji gaped at Asuka. "Why didn't you say something!" he demanded.

Asuka attempted to open her mouth to have it closed by an AT-field. 'These Tabri aren't very original are they?' Shinji asked himself.

Finally, Michel decided to continue with the freeing of the Angels. He turned and set himself so his weight was on his back leg. He raised his hand, one finger pointed at Touji. Touji opened his mouth to give one last defiant comment but instead slumped over unconscious.

Hikari started to scream but didn't make it past the second breath. She passed out from the strain of seeing her crush apparently killed.

Shinji tried to turn so he could look at Touji. From were he was chained he could just see Touji starting to move again. "Hey! Hikari! He's not dead!" he shouted unknowing that she was unconscious.

He lifted his head fully now. His eyes drank in the light around him. When he finally spoke it was in a voice unbelievable deeper then his normal tone, "It is good to see again."

Shinji blinked in astonishment. 'Did Touji say that?' he thought. His train of thought reeled. Deep inside of his head something clicked. "N-no," he said quietly, "It can't be…."

Shinji looked down at his shoes. 'Touji can't be,' he thought, 'he never even killed an angel.'

He broke the chains without a second thought. He took a step forward and looked at Shinji. He gave a small snort. "Tied up fits you," he said.

Shinji lifted his head to look at Touji. 'No, not Touji anymore,' he thought. "Bardiel," he said out loud. Touji nodded.

"Very perceptive," Bardiel said, "I'm sure one of my brothers will be very happy to have your body once they're freed."

"You're going to use our bodies!" shouted Shinji, growing surprisingly angry, "To resurrect the Angels!"

"Why, yes," Michel intruded, "Didn't my dear brother care to tell you that?"

Shinji's head instinctively looked up to Logani. When he gave no reaction Shinji turned to his father. "Y-You knew about this!" he demanded.

Gendo nodded before leaning his head back onto the pole. "For a little while, just since Ireul attacked us. He said some things he probable shouldn't have. About the return of the Angels," Gendo explained.

Bardiel sneered, "Pathetic. He always was bad with secrets. All well, he's gone now."

Shinji turned back to look at Bardiel, "How can you say that! He was your brother!" he shouted.

"Ireul was a boy?" asked Bardiel, "I always put it as an it."

That threw Shinji for a loop. Bardiel turned to Michel. He grabbed him around the collar and whispered so only Michel and the closer prisoners could hear, "I've waited long enough. Bring back my siblings now."

Michel nodded with fear in his eyes. He knew not to mess with a Messenger. At least, not yet.

Michel settled back into the same stance as before and this time aimed at Rei. She collapsed forward. Shinji turned to look at her, "Rei!" he shouted.

Unlike with Touji Rei was not the only one to go down this time. Gendo and one of the unnamed prisoners blacked out along with her. Right before it happened Gendo had tensed as if he'd known it was coming.

All three of them raised their heads at once. They broke the chains within milliseconds of one another. Shinji watched on in horror as Rei walked over to Bardiel and hugged him.

"It is good to see you once more Armisael," Bardiel said when they met. He nodded towards Gendo and said, "Arael," then he turned to the last person and said, "Ramiel."

"It is good to be free once more brother," Ramiel/Rei said before turning back to look at Shinji. She smiled a secretive smile. Shinji blinked in surprise.

"Hurry it up," Arael/Gendo pushed Michel towards Asuka. He stumbled forward quickly and assumed his stance for the third time. Asuka stuck out her tongue before she passed out. One of the other persons tied in the circle crumpled as well.

When they awoke there were three of them, Asuka, Hikari, and the unnamed. They too broke the chains as one and crossed to their siblings. This time the hugs took much longer.

Finally Asuka took her place at Bardiel's left shoulder, with Rei at the right. Their siblings lined up so as to make a wedge shape. Shinji, hoarse from his earlier shouting, barely managed to speak, "A-Asuka?"

She smiled and shook her head, "Not Asuka anymore," Shinji shrunk, "Now Gaghiel." She jerked her head towards Hikari and said, "Sandalphon," then towards the unnamed and said, "Israfel."

Shinji hung his head. The end was here for sure now. He'd had to watch all his friends lose their bodies. Now the only person he cared about who was left was Misato. He turned to look at her. She had a face that spoke cold hard determination. Shinji's face cracked as he realized that when he was targeted she would go with him.

He looked around at the remaining prisoners. 'Misato, Hyuga, Kensuke and two prisoners,' he thought. "Did I really only kill six?" he said out loud, "It seemed like so many more."

"Not quite," said Michel from his crouched position once more. Shinji looked up and their eyes met. Michel let his AT-field go.

It hit Shinji square in the forehead. He passed out into unconsciousness. As he had predicted all the remaining prisoners lost consciousness with him.

Shinji didn't wake up.

* * *

Sachiel opened the eyes of his new body. He flexed and broke the chains. He took a step forward and turned to look at his brothers and sisters. 

In Misato's old body he recognized Sahaqiel. In Kensuke's former body Shamshel. The expendables were worn by Leliel and Matariel. That left one brother missing…

Sachiel faced forward to hug Michel, who was now truly Tabris. Now they were a family once more. If only Lilith and Ireul could be here it would be a complete sibling return.

Ow well. They were free now to wreak their havoc on the universe.

It was time for a family huddle. Sachiel called them in to discuss what must be done. Being the oldest he was undoubtedly the leader of all of them.

Shinji had been very lucky to beat him.

* * *

Zacherial could not stand to watch the possessions take place. He was all for justice and such but he could not stand to see the young feel so pathetic. He'd stepped out of the cavern for a moment. 

For some reason Andinesial decided to follow him. "What do you want?" he demanded as he turned. To his disbelief Andinesial was crying. "What?" he said, "Did something happen?"

"No," choked Andinesial, "Not yet. It's just that sometimes I start randomly crying."

"Ow," let out Zacherial before turning away. He paused, "What do you think about… you know…that thing in there."

Andinesial started to wipe his face clean with a scrap of his clothing. He answered slowly, "Interesting, I guess. A little random, and that's coming from me." He bit back a laugh.

Zacherial nodded and turned to face him once more. "And what about him returning after so long?" he asked.

Zacherial thought about it for a moment. He leaned back on his heals and put his hands onto the thick black hair on his head. "A bad move on his part. He should've run away once he left. Never came back," Andinesial answered in a mixture of German, English, Chinese, and Japanese. He did that when he talked for a long time.

Four other Tabri pocked their heads into the tunnel Zacherial and Andinesial were hiding in. "Hey! Keep it down in there," they demanded.

* * *

The end is getting closer. Or is it? Aiming for 25-30 chapters at this point. Despite the dismal amount of reviews I'm really enjoying writing this. Chapters 15 and 16 are finished but being kicked around. They should be up soon though. Sadly, AnimeFan64 could not proofread this one. Does it show? As always r&**_R_**. Especially if you haven't already. You owe me one by now. 


	15. ReMoval

**Reign of the Tabri**

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."- "God"

Chapter 15: ReMoval

* * *

They broke their huddle. 

Tabris/Michel was the only one to speak to the great crowd of Tabri, "My sons and daughter" he said in the voice Shinji would've recognized as Kowaru.

The Conclave instinctively quieted to listen to their father. "You have done well my children," his voice echoed around the cavern. Around him the other Messengers spread out in a circle. Bardiel and Armisael waited in the middle of the circle talking.

"You have brought us back from the edges of the abyss. I am very glad to see you all once more," he continued. Bardiel and Armisael turned and took off at a modest trot for the entrance to where Lilith was kept. They cleared Heaven's Gate and disappeared. Arael massaged its right hand uncomfortably.

"It makes me very sad that we must part so soon. I am sorry my child but there is someplace I must go!" Tabris said in an utterly sincere voice. Arael removed his glove and his eyes grew to humongous sizes. High above Logani wrestled with the AT-fields holding him.

"I-" Tabris cut off his apology when they attacked.

* * *

It had been nearly unanimous. Only Tabris had voted against it, wanting to save his children. Still, he had gone along with it when the others demanded it. 

When they'd learned that the Tabri had managed to bring an Evangelion down they'd panicked. Fear got the better of them even though Ireul was not there.

It had other reasons though. "There is only room for one family around here," Bardiel had said.

The plan had been for Bardiel and Armisael to go free Lilith while the others launched a coordinated assault. Tabris had been the distraction. When he'd realized the inevitability of the attack he'd volunteered. "They'll listen to me like no one else," he'd said in his quiet voice.

"Then we do it," Sachiel had given his blessing.

* * *

Eleven AT-fields tore through Tabri like meat being put through a grinder. Nearly half were dead before the carnage hit the floor. Most of them refused to even believe it. Their minds shut out the very idea of being attacked by Messengers. 

Of those few that did consider it only a few moved fast enough. They had to dive into tunnels to escape the giant anti-AT field wave being created by eleven Messengers. In seconds it washed over the whole cave.

Only a few dozen Tabri escaped even the initial attack. They were the smartest, the fastest, and the strongest. They didn't take time to even consider fighting back. They knew they were outnumbered and that they had to run. Creating caves as they went they rushed headlong out of NERV HQ and Tokyo-3.

A few were unlucky enough to enter Lilith's chambers. The now freed giant of white crushed them in seconds. With Bardiel and Armisael the parasites on its shoulders they never stood a chance.

* * *

Zacherial ran like hell for a little bit. Then he ran like hell for some more. Finally he ran like hell for a long time. 

Eventually he slowed down and attempted to rally some of the scattered Tabri to him. "To me!" he shouted, spinning and running, "We have to stick together! Keep running but stick together!"

A few managed to get to him, Andinesial among them. They kept running, but now in a pack.

* * *

Mendial managed to do much the same as Zacherial but he used more of a military presence to persuade people to join him. "Get over here you limp bastards!" he demanded. Those near him came quickly. 

Semian was among them. They all continued to run in a pack.

* * *

Vernide didn't make a pack. She took over one. She ran only for herself until she reached the outside. There she managed to find others, already gathered up, and take them over. 

Her team that had raided NERV 8 was the core of those she found. They ran as her bitch.

* * *

Sahaqiel, being right next to Arael, was the first to notice he hadn't helped at all. "What the hell were you doing!" she demanded. 

Arael, still in wonder of it himself, turned around and raised his right hand. The assembled Messengers gasped.

"Father's soul," Tabris said.

"Yes," said Sachiel with a slow nod, "Ikari kept it close to him the whole time."

Lilith plowed through the wall. Bardiel and Armisael sat on each shoulder. When they saw what was in Arael's hand they smiled. "It really is a family reunion," said Bardiel as he jumped down from Lilith. Armisael followed him quickly enough. Lilith took a seat on the ground with a smash.

"Well," demanded Tabris, "we've killed off most of my children. What's next? My arm maybe? A leg?"

Sachiel shook his head, absolutely serious. "We resurrect father," he said. Everyone turned to look at Arael. He held up his hand and they gathered around it. "We'll need a lot of power for this though," Sachiel said.

"Yeah," agreed Sandalphon. "There's only one place we'll get that kind of power. The South Pole," she said calmly.

Sachiel nodded, "The weakest point of Earth's defenses. More power will get through there then anywhere else. We need transportation."

They all froze abruptly. Then Sachiel stood up from his crouched position looking at Adam. "Those will work," he said slowly. Then he nodded to reinforce his words, "They'll work."

"It must be the Tabri souls," said Tabri unsteadily, "A few of them must have willed their soulsto go to one of the Evangelions when they died."

"Fine," said Sachiel, "We take them then. There are new bodies for all of us."

"There aren't enough," said Shamshel, "Only eleven are being operated."

"You forget," sneered Bardiel, "Lilith doesn't need a body, neither does Armisael or me."

"That's right," Armisael awakened to his meaning, "I can reform Unit 00 and Bardiel can resurrect Unit 03."

"That makes fourteen," said Ramiel, "Who doesn't get one?"

"Fifteen," said Sachiel. The others all turned to look at him. "I'll take Unit 1," he said. His smile lit up the room.

Tabris seemed doubtful, "I tried to take over Unit 1," he said, "When I attacked NERV. Its soul is extremely strong. You won't be able to budge it."

Sachiel threw back his head, "Then I'll destroy it and take another. Now let's go before they get down here and we lose surprise."

All the angels darted off, besides Tabris and Sachiel. Lilith just sat there, seven eyes looking around dumbly.

"You don't have to come with us if you don't want to," Sachiel said.

"Thank you," said Tabris, "But I'll regret it if I don't. I won't be taking one of those bodies though. They're much too big."

"Of course," Sachiel said soothingly to his youngest brother, "You'll want to go take your origonal. Come when you're ready." He took off after the others.

Tabris turned to look at Lilith for a moment. Finally he snorted softly, "You can come down now," he said softly, "Logani."

Logani ghosted down on his AT-field. He stood behind his father, about twenty feet back. "How could you do it," he demanded, "How could you just kill all of your children!"

Tabris turned to look at Logani. He kept his head low, not looking at Logani as a child would not look at his mother after he had done poorly. "Would you have tried to cross your brothers?" he said quietly, his vocalization of choice.

"I already have," Logani spat, "And I would do it again if I thought it was necessary."

Tabris looked up now. He very nearly drew back at the accusation in Logani's eyes. "Then you are a better brother then I," he surrendered.

Logani snorted and turned. "Goodbye," he said, "One who I once called father." He started walking away.

Tabris raised his hand slowly; his face aimed at the ground once more. "I am sorry. But I cannot let you do that," he said. His AT-field shot out and hit Logani squarely in the back.

Logani flew through the air, eventually coming to rest several feet through the cavern wall. Tabris pushed off the ground with his feet slowly. He drifted upwards towards the exit to the cavern. Beneath him Lilith stood and prepared to follow. "Goodbye," Tabris' whisper was barely audible even to him, "My son."

Lilith followed Tabris out the exit without communicating anything.

* * *

Sachiel caught up to the others in time easily. Together they reached the Eva bays. 

Evangelions 05-15 had been brought in from across the globe. They waited in their bays to be activated. Normally they would've needed pilots but as with so many other things concerning the Evangelions they could operate randomly. They did now.

They activated at the sheer will of the ten Tabri who had put their souls into them. These Tabri were pissed. They'd been killed without even realizing who'd been doing it to them.

Separated from the others, Evas 01, 02, and 04 sat. At least for the moment they were silent.

Bardiel and Armisael split off from the main group and traveled to where Evas 00 and 03 were stored. Gendo Ikari had not been a wasteful man; he'd planned to eventually restore both Evas.

Unfortunately for him he never got around to it.

Bardiel took up a position above Eva 03's bay and began drawing what little pieces remained of the Eva he'd destroyed together. Soon he had a pile of Eva the size of a fist.

Bardiel smiled and threw his arms apart. The leftovers of Evangelion Unit 03 fused and began growing rapidly. It wasn't there yet, but soon it would be a full Eva again.

Two chambers away from him Armisael repeated the process. Unit 00 would walk again.

The other Angels had a harder time acquiring their newest bodies. Evas 05-15 broke their restraints and attacked the Angels when they entered the bays.

Unit 08 reached out and snagged Sachiel out of thin air. It let back a feral grin before its arm began bubbling uncontrollably. It took a step back and dropped the limp body it was holding. It bounced only a little.

In every chamber it happened. The Eva would land a blow, only to lose control as the Messenger shed its skin to take the Eva over. Soon they had command of 10 Evangelions.

Tabris and Lilith reached Central Dogma first. Tabris had just planned to meet his brothers in the open air above Tokyo-3. Sadly, it was not to be.

* * *

Unit 01 awoke with a start when Sachiel entered its chamber. Its eyes locked onto it instinctively. It recognized it from its first battle. It had the same stubby legs, the giant red dome, and the three-fingered hands. Sachiel was back, and ready to fight. 

Unit 01 broke its restraints and jumped forward to meet its foe. They collided, with Unit 01 immediately gaining the upper hand over its adversary. It grabbed a hold of Sachiel's arms, and for the second time, broke them.

But Sachiel had help on its side. Zeruel fired its blast straight into Unit 01 before colliding into it. Unit 01 rocked back and slammed into the back wall. It took stock of its new enemy. It recognized this one as well. It had the same short legs as Sachiel, but with arms that were thin instead of thick. Zeruel stood over his brother while he stood and regenerated. Then they both prepared their beam attacks.

Unit 01 was not going to let that happen. It dove out of their way and onto its launch catapult. It zipped upwards just seconds before the area it had been standing in was destroyed. Fire roared upwards, threatening to overtake Unit 01 in its flight upwards.

The smoke reached Central Dogma first. It belched up into the confined space of the geo-dome, reaching the surface. Unit 01 was not far behind it.

The catapult didn't slow down in time. This threw Unit 01 into the air. It flipped and landed on all fours. It skidded tens of meters before stopping. It stood and looked over the area. It had hunted here before. Another pair of enemies lurked here already as well.

It didn't recognize the small one but some part of it remembered the big one. Perhaps it had faced this one before…

Unit 01 beat its chest in preparation for the next battle. But, when it had just begun to step forward to charge, the smoke began to clear. Behind it were many more enemies. The first again. Looping overhead was the second enemy it had defeated. The third glinted dangerously, while the fifth stood fused as it had begun. On down the line they went. Slowly it dawned on Unit 01's conscious that they were all there.

Sure, the fourth and the eight were different, they remained Evangelions in nearly all aspects, but it didn't really matter to Unit 01. Sixteen enemies that had been destroyedwere here now. They all wanted to fight.

Unit 01 would give it to them.

* * *

Tabris shook his head. He turned to look at his other brothers. He waved good-bye and began to float higher. Sachiel returned his nod and turned back to Unit 01. 

'Do I really need my original body?' thought Tabris, 'I haven't used it in ages. It'll be hideous after so long.' Nevertheless he floated higher and higher. He left Tokyo-3 behind him and began flying forward instead of up. His destination…

His destination was the Tabri enclave in North America.

* * *

Got the bugs worked out, I think. Sadly I had to kill off most of the Tabri. My least favorite part of this chapter is them running and packing up. Still, it was necessary. Sadly, AnimeFan64 could not proofread this one either. Look for sixteen soon.

Got another review and that makes me happy. Updates come faster that way people. As always r&**_R_**. Just so you know, the second r is for review.


	16. ReTurn

**Reign of the Tabri**

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."- "God"

Chapter 16: ReTurn

* * *

_L-o-g-a-n-i_

It came from so far away.

_L-o-g-a-n-i_

It seemed so very far away.

_L-o-g-a-n-i_

'Is this death?' he asked himself as he floated in nothingness. Dimly he remembered conquering Death. 'Where am I then?' he barely thought.

_L-o-g-a-n-i_

'I know that voice,' he thought. "Leslen," he croaked out in a barely audible voice, "Leslen is that you, sister?"

_L-o-g-a-n-i_

He closed his eyes and tried to remember how he had gotten back here. He started at conception.

Somehow it seemed hard even to remember his mother's face. It had been over two-thousand years since he'd seen her but it had never mattered before.

Had it?

_L-o-g-a-n-i_

His train of thought boarded and started going. He passed meeting his father in a hurry. Soon he was leading the Tabri. Soon he was weeping for his father. Soon he was leaving the Tabri in their hour of need. Soon he was abandoning them outright.

Soon he was captured by his brothers. He groaned as he thought back to the greatest betrayal of them all. 'Father did this to me,' he thought, 'Father put me here.'

_L-o-g-a-n-i_

"What?" he shouted into the continuous light.

_W-a-k-e u-p_

_

* * *

_

His mind shuddered back into operation. He opened his eyes and tried to sit up. Pain coursed through him in ways he'd never imagined. In his mind the image of his Father allowing the slaughter of his siblings played over and over again. His body was assaulted by wave after wave of pain. He had at least seventeen broken bones, ten of them ribs. His soul eluded his capture; he could not reach his AT-field.

_L-o-g-a-n-i_

His shifted in the pile of rubble. He found himself blinded for more then a few seconds. The being in front of him was completely light, even his vision could not accept this. He tried to cover his eyes with his arm but the light seemed to go through his very skin. He could not block it.

He found himself with his arm down, the being of light now darkened. He could just make out an outline now, the shape one he knew well. "Leslen," his voice cracked. He was parched now, he felt as if he'd been lying there for days.

"Hello brother," she said with just a ghost of a smile.

"You died," he croaked.

"Yes," she said calmly, "And my soul passed on to were I told it to go."

Logani managed a nod. He waited for her to evaluate in vain. Finally he hazard a guess, "Shinji."

"Yes dear brother. I passed on to young Ikari," she said calmly.

"And now…" he said tiredly.

"Now you have promises to keep," she said as she turned around. She began floating down the hallway at a measured gate.

Logani pulled himself to his feet. No AT-field meant no healing. He'd make it anyway though. Leslen would not just lead him anywhere, he had to follow her.

Each step he took seemed to burn his leg off again and again. Occasionally he would lurch towards a wall and have to catch himself with his fingers. He could hear them snap audibly.

Finally he could go on no more. He leaned his back against a wall and barely managed to stay standing. "Sister! What promises must I keep now!" he shouted into the dark hallways of NERV.

"You must keep your promise to return the Messengers to sleep should they ever awaken. You must save Shinji's life," her voice echoed down the hall.

"Ikari died beneath me with the others," he said into the tunnels, "Taken over by Sachiel as I was taken over by Ireul."

"Yet Shinji's soul lives on," Leslen's voice was growing farther away, "As does mine. How else would I speak to you now?"

"Insanity," he said darkly. He pushed himself back to his feet and began walking once more. He gathered energy from every cell in his body to keep walking. He pushed his mind as well; he tried to find his AT-field in the dark caverns. It continued to elude him, just barely.

Finally he reached were Leslen had stopped. He found himself in what had once been a lab. Now…

"One of Michel's torture chambers," he spat angrily, "He'll pay for this."

"Michel is gone," Leslen spoke gravely, "He is with father now."

Looking around the chamber Logani could not find why Leslen had brought him there. In the dim light he began to lose hope.

But she did not let him stray long. "You must take flesh here," she said calmly.

Logani looked at the stripped and beaten corpses. The flesh here was worn and withered. He did not want it. "I will heal later," he gasped, "Now, as you said, we must save Shinji."

"Not flesh for yourself," she said, "But for him. His body has been broken badly. Should you wish to return him to it you must bring him sufficient material to heal."

Logani didn't waste another word. If it would save Shinji he'd carry a full body. He did.

Carrying the corpse with its arm over his opposite shoulder he pulled himself to the entrance to the main geo-front. He followed Leslen's shadow for what seemed like forever. Finally he reached the Control Chamber for the Eva Monitoring Area.

The first thing he noticed was they were nearly empty. Only Unit 02 and Unit 04 remained in their positions. "Were did they go?" he gasped quietly.

"The Messengers took them. That is, besides Unit 01. They fight it even now in Central Dogma," Leslen reported.

"Where is he?" Logani asked.

Leslen pointed down into the main chamber were Shinji's body could just be made out. Logani began dragging the body to Shinji as fast as he could. As he got closer it became apparent that the bakelite that had secured Units 01 and 05-15 had washed over the entire floor. Shinji was practically submerged in it.

Logani pulled him out of the now hardening substance. He looked his body over and found were the most damage was. Shinji had landed on his back and skidded for at least twenty feet before coming to rest. His back was in shreds.

Logani peeled pieces of the dead body's' skin off and began placing them on Shinji's back. Finally his AT-field came within his grasp and grasp it he did. He began slowly melding the skin into Shinji. It loosened at his AT-fields touch; it even eventually took the texture of Shinji's skin.

Logani checked for a pulse, found it, and attempted to awaken Shinji. He did not wake. "Leslen!" he shouted, "He isn't waking up."

"Of course not," she said from over Logani's shoulder.

He turned to look at her, "Why not?" he asked mechanically.

"His soul has left his body," she said simply.

"You said he could be brought back!" Logani shouted at her.

"And he can be," she said coolly, "You just have to return his soul to his body."

Logani cooled visibly, "Well, where is it?" he asked.

Leslen held out her hand. In it four bright lights circled. They were perfectly attuned so as not to come any closer to, or farther away from, each other. They traveled lazily. One was red, another light blue, another dark brown, and finally a white one. Logani reached for the white one.

Leslen brought her hand back slightly. She looked Logani in the eyes, "If you return one you return them all."

Logani understood. He quickly began searching for were Bardiel, Armisael, and Gaghiel had left their former bodies.

He found Touji on the walkway to Unit 03, Rei on the walkway to Unit 00, and Asuka thrown through a wall. Thankfully they were all alive and breathing. None awoke.

He put them in a circle, with their head on the inside. Finally he turned to Leslen. "What about the others?Gendo and Misato?" he asked.

Leslen shook her head softly, "I could not save them. I only had a chance to grab these four."

Logani nodded mutely before he reached for the souls. His hand touched one and they all jumped away from his touch. He reached out again only to find them gone now.

Each traveled to its body as a mouse is drawn to cheese. Fast and cautionless. They entered not at the throat, but at the chest. They passed right through organ and bone alike to rejoin with their body.

They awoke.

* * *

_S-h-i-n-j-i_

It seemed so far away.

_S-h-i-n-j-i_

It seemed so very far away

"Shinji!" Logani shouted in his ear. Shinji brought his hand up to his ear to try to protect them from the damage.

"Ow…" he said as he rolled onto his side, "That hurt." He stressed the word hurt out.

"Glad to see you're awake," Logani said with a sigh of relief. He glanced around at the other three. Rei sat cross-legged on the ground. She looked a little lost. Past her Asuka rubbed sleep out of her eyes and sat up slowly. Touji rolled over and began snoring.

Logani sighed. Lazy and sleepy that they may be it was good to have them back. Thinking back he realized the reason he hadn't been able to reach his AT-field was because he was afraid. He hadn't admitted it to himself but he had been afraid. What a rookie mistake.

"Come on," he said, "Get up. We have to get going now."

Shinji blinked and then seemed to realize what had just happened to them, "Hey! What happened to the angels?" he demanded.

Logani simply pointed at the empty Eva pens before kicking Touji. Touji jumped up in an amazingly alert situation. He looked around, recognized everyone and sat down. He rubbed his ribs and head. "What happened?" he asked.

"Angels took you over, took over some of the Evas, and left you. Leslen gave me your souls to return to your bodies," he said jerking his thumb at were Leslen had stood.

"Who?" asked Asuka.

Logani turned around to stare into open air. He turned back to face the children. "Dead sister, long story. Time to go, now," he said pulling Shinji and Asuka up to their feet. Rei stood tentatively. She seemed to be looking for someone. Logani paused for a moment. 'Gendo,' he thought, 'neither her nor Shinji will take it well.' Nevertheless he had to tell them. "He's gone Rei," he said soothingly.

It dawned on Rei slowly. She lifted up her hands slowly, looking them over. "Then are we dead too?" she asked, confused.

"No," he explained slowly, "but we will be if we don't get out of here." To prove his point a great rumbling struck the geo-front.

"Yikes," said Touji, standing now, "Lets get out of here."

"Follow me," Logani said, "Rei, take the back."

Rei nodded, still lost a little in the confusion of not having Gendo to stand next too. It felt good to take orders from someone, even Logani.

"Wait!" shouted Asuka when they were half-way out of the chamber, "What about Unit 02?"

Logani turned to look at the red giant. "Leave it," he said, "for now at least. If we have too we can come back for it."

They continued upwards on stairs. This made the trip take a very long time. NERV HQ was huge, easily a thousand levels from Terminal Dogma to Central Dogma and at least a thousand more to the surface.

It took them nearly three hours to reach Central Dogma at their casual pace. As they got higher and higher everyone couldn't help but notice the sounds of heavy footsteps. At first they thought it was someone following them. But when they eventually reachedCentral Dogmathey realized what it really was.

Evangelion and Angel combat.

Eva 01 and the Angels were still at it. Logani poked his head out of the doorway leading to Central Dogma to see them fighting. It was titanic. Unit 01 flipped around in great arcs, dodging from one side of the geofront to the other. So far it had managed to evade the traps the Angels placed but it was getting tired. Even giant muscles become exhausted with time, and Eva 01 had been fighting for hours.

As Logani watched it went down. Ramiel nailed it in the chest with its beam weapon and Zeruel wrapped its arms up with its blades. Unit 01 heaved and disappeared from Logani's vision behind the pyramid of NERV command. But from the great light thrown up from the Messenger's beam attacks he could see its shadow being shredded.

High above the floor the shadow writhed from attacks. Unit 01 was being ripped to shreds. Logani turned back to facing the kids. They wouldn't like what he had to say. "Back down," he said quietly. They all groaned.

It was much easier descending then it was ascending. They did in an hour what had taken them three to do going up. They finally collapsed on the launch bridge for Unit 02. The kids went to sleep rather fast. Logani decided to wander over to Unit 04 for awhile.

He got halfway there before deciding he was too tired. He went back to the others and went to sleep. He knew he'd be first to wake.

* * *

It was ten hours before anyone awoke. They'd all been through hell in the last few weeks and desperately needed sleep. Now they got it. 

Asuka was the first to wake up. She looked up at Unit 02 and thought about piloting. She remembered the dream she'd had and the increase in her synch score back to normal. 'I wonder,' she thought.

She stood up and was nearly to the entry plug when Shinji woke up. He looked around at the sleeping forms and realized Asuka was not there. His head whipped around in a full 360 degree turn. Finally he saw Asuka on Unit 02's back bridge. She was beginning to climb into the Entry Plug. Not wanting to wake the others Shinji had to whisper, " Asuka! What are you doing?"

Miraculously Asuka heard him. She leaned to her left so she could see Shinji around Unit 02's head. She stuck out her tong at him and returned to the other side of her unit. She threw Shinji his old plug suit she had found. Surprisingly, he caught it. He looked it over doubtfully. "Bad memories," he said calmly. Asuka snorted.

Touji yawned and sat up. Asuka threw another plug suit at him. It landed on his head and he pulled it off. It wasn't his original, but it was his spare. He shivered. "You're telling me yours brings back bad memories," he said with a menacing look at Asuka.

Asuka shrugged and sat down. She smirked and said, "What's wrong Touji? Afraid of clothing now?"

He shot her an angry glance. Then suddenly he sobered. "Guys," he began, "we got brought back. But…where's Hikari and Kenuske?"

"And Misato," said Asuka without any hit of a flare.

"And even my father," Shinji said in a heartfelt tone.

All three sat quietly for a moment. Then Asuka raised her fist angrily, "We'll bring them back."

Shinji and Touji looked at her dubiously. "Bring them back?" asked Shinji.

"Yep," Asuka said optimistically, "just like we got brought back."

Logani sat up abruptly. "That'll be hard to do," he said.

Asuka leaned back onto one of the metal railings of the bridge, "So?"

Logani snorted. "Well, first things first we gotta make the world habitable for them," he said.

"What do you mean?" Shinji, Asuka, and Touji all asked.

"The Messengers are going to bring back Adam and start Third Impact," Logani told them, "and if they succeed there won't be any humanity left for you to return them to."

"Adam?" Shinji asked.

Logani nodded. "The first of the Messengers. Causer of Second Impact and this whole war. He's the Messengers father and therefore," he paused for a moment, "my paternal grandfather."

"Jeez," Shinji said quietly.

Rei sat up, "Commander Ikari had Adam implanted in his right hand-"

"And when Arael took Gendo's body he found it," Logani interrupted, "And now they've gone to the South Pole to resurrect Adam and erase Humanity."

"Well what are we waiting for!" demanded Asuka, "Let's go kick some Angel ass!"

"You really think that all four of you could beatfifteen of them at once?" Logani asked.

"Of course!" Asuka shouted, "We beat them once and we can beat them again!"

"But not all at once," Shinji cast doubt on her plan, "we usually outnumbered **them**."

"Zip it Third Child," Asuka demanded, "I won't take any of that pessimistic bullshit from you. We can beat them…and god dammit you'll kill more of them then all the rest of us again!"

Everyone was quiet for a moment. "It doesn't matter," Touji said, "We only have two Evas remember? Unit 01 got destroyed and there never was one for me."

"Maybe not," Logani said slowly. Everyone turned to look at him.

* * *

Look for 17 very soon. Like tomorrow. Or even tonight. Unfortunately this chapter could not be proofread be AnimeFan64. r&**_R_**. 


	17. ReSurrection

**Reign of the Tabri**

Chapter 17: ReSurrection

* * *

"What do you mean?" asked Asuka, "Do you know a way to get two Evas?"

"No," he said calmly, "I know how to get Unit 01 back plus another one."

"How?" Shinji asked.

Logani looked down at his hands. 'Bardiel and Armisael did it,' he thought, 'could I?' He turned to look at the others. 'Do I have a choice?' he thought. The apocalypse impending didn't give him a lot of choices. He stood. "We need to go back up," he said.

That elicited him groans from everyone. They were rested now, but still sore from the previous day's activities. "I am **not** walking all the way up there again," Asuka said.

"We won't have to," Logani said. Everyone let out a sigh of relief. "You found plug suites, now put them on. Asuka, take Unit 02. Rei, you get Unit 04."

Touji scowled and Shinji let out a sigh of relief. Touji thought he needed the experience and Shinji wanted to put off piloting for as long as possible. Everyone went to their separate locker rooms to put on their plug suites.

In the boys locker room both Shinji and Touji shuddered when they thought of the last time Touji had had to wear his plug suit. It had been a bad time for both of them. 'I should make sure the dummy plug's removed from Unit 02 before we leave,' Shinji thought.

The girl's room was silent. It seemed to Asuka as if Rei had died with Commander Ikari. 'A puppet with out anyone to command it,' thought Asuka, 'A doll without a child to play with it.' Rei was thinking along the same lines as Asuka.

Shinji was first out. He began a dutiful stride to the Eva command center. He was halfway there when he heard the movement of heavy machinery. He turned around to see the dummy plug being removed from Unit 02. Shinji looked up into the command center to see Logani jumping down. He landed in a crouch and then stood up. He walked past Shinji and whispered quietly, "No Rei to pilot it anyway. Remember?"

Shinji shuddered as he remembered everything that had occurred in the Dummy Plug Production Center with Dr. Akagi so long ago. It was not a good memory to have surface, especially as deserted as NERV was. The whole place just looked scary, with Bakelite reflecting things left and right.

Shinji returned to the Eva bays. Asuka and Rei were already inserted into their plugs and activating their Evas. Fortunately for Asuka her umbilical cord was still in place. Rei soon realized that Unit 04 had an operational S2 engine. It powered up with everything else, as far as she could tell it worked seamlessly.

((glad to hear it)) appeared on her screen in block print. Rei widened her eyes in astonishment. She'd never had this kind of interaction with Unit 00. Why should she have it with this one?

"Don't scare her Robertus," Logani shouted from the outside. He was leaning on the rail in a comfortable position.

"Robertus?" Asuka asked from inside Unit 02. External speakers coupled with radio transmission made it so everyone heard her question.

((yep)) the print appeared in Rei's and Asuka's screens now. Outside it appeared on nearly every screen that Shinji, Touji, and Logani could see. ((it is I, Robertus! Tabri of Glory!))

Logani smiled gloomily, "And bad grammar."

((SHUT UP!))

Logani laughed. "Tabri of Glory?" Shinji asked.

"Yeah," Logani said, "A name given to him by Father. He gave us all names like that. About one thing or another." Towards the end of his speaking Logani drooped his head.

((traitorous bastard thats what daddy turned out to be))

"Yeah," Logani slammed his fist into his other hand, "We stop him right after Unit 01's resurrected."

Unit 04 tried to nod but Rei stopped it. ((what?)) Robertus asked, ((I can't move my body without your permission anymore?))

Frightened, Rei shook her head quickly, "No!"

((awww…))

"Lets get going," Logani said. He, Touji, and Shinji climbed into Unit 02s hand. "No Robertus I don't trust you to carry us up. Even with Rei in charge of you," he said.

((awww…))

They began ascending slowly. Logani had locked down the elevators so as not to move at a pace Shinji and Touji could not withstand. Still, they eventually had to sit down, the strain of the movement too much for their legs.

"So, Logani," Shinji asked, "If Robertus was the Tabri of Glory… What were you?"

Still standing Logani didn't even bat an eyelash. "I was Tabri of Honor," he said fiercely, "Because I always keep my promises."

"Ow" Shinji said. He looked down at his thumbs and began to twiddle them uselessly.

They were silent the rest of the ride.

* * *

They reached Central Dogma in less then ten minutes. Not bad considering the elevators were set to their lowest setting. The Evas deployed against the Southeast corner of the cavern.

Central Dogma was covered; head to toe, in blood. Unit 01s blood.

Inside her entry plug Asuka gagged. Rei didn't bother to notice.

Shinji's eyes teared up slightly. He had always thought he hated Unit 01 but now… With its blood everywhere and it having been destroyed he couldn't help but think of all the good times they'd had.

Waiting inside Ireul to die. Watching it rip Unit 03 to shreds helplessly. Those came too but not as much as the good times.

The time he saved Asuka from melting in the volcano came too mind. Saving Kensuke and Touji from Shamshel was there too. The synchronization dance he and Asuka had done, he thought he could still remember most of the moves. It all surfaced. He decided he'd miss Unit 01.

"Well," said Logani, "I guess I'd better get to work bringing it back."

Shinji blinked and reeled to look at Logani. 'Bring that monster back!' he thought, 'Is he crazy!' Out loud Shinji didn't say anything.

Logani hopped down from Unit 02s hand and began walking through the carnage. Everyone else waited for him to do whatever he would do.

Logani took up position over a large chunk of Unit 01s arm. This was the biggest piece he'd found and would probable be the easiest point to work from. 'Come on Logani,' he thought, 'If they can do it you can do it. Bardiel recreated Unit 03 from near scratch and you've got a lot of Unit 01 left to work with.'

He set his arms and legs and began spreading his AT-field. He gathered much needed pieces of Unit 01 and began pulling them together into one giant chunk.

From around the great cavern blood began flowing back towards Logani. Soon he had a chunk of material the size of Unit 01's chest. He was already straining but knew he could not stop now. He forced the pieces to mold into shape. Soon he had arms and legs formed. 'Now for the core,' he thought, 'the hardest part.'

Pieces of the core had literally been ground into sand by the angels. Logani grabbed them and began piecing them together like a giant jigsaw puzzle. He fell to his knees and barely kept his arms up. Finally the pieces set together perfectly. Logani moved the core into the center of his mold. He covered it over with excess material.

Already beyond straining he began cellular regeneration of the head. There wasn't enough material to simply reform it like the other body parts. This had to be created from new.

Logani collapsed as Unit 01 breathed in once more. It looked around for its enemies. It spied Unit 02 and Unit 04. Asuka and Rei both took a step back fearing that it might charge them.

But Unit 01 only had eyes for Shinji. It nodded calmly before shutting down.

Unit 01, naked without any "restraints", was reborn.

((and now we go after father))

Collapsed on the ground in front of Unit 01 Logani smiled ever so slightly. He'd done it.

* * *

Shinji and Touji propped Logani up against a rock so he was sitting. "What now?" asked Asuka. She was brushing her hair with a comb to get rid of all the LCL in it.

"Now we get another Eva," Logani said weakly.

"How?" Rei asked. She let her hair stay thick with the LCL.

"We go after my father," he continued more weakly, "He's going to get something very much like an Eva."

"What?" Shinji asked.

"His old body," Logani closed his eyes and barely continued.

"What do you mean by that?" Asuka asked.

At the same time Shinji spoke up, "I destroyed his body when I killed him. It got melted down just like all the others."

"That wasn't his original body," Logani said quietly, "Did you really think that NERV didn't DNA test him? That body was all human."

Shinji's eyes widened, "Kowaru was human?" he said.

Logani nodded, "Yes. A human boy father possessed in order to get into NERV."

"Possession?" Asuka said doubtfully, "That's impossible. How do you expect us to believe in ghost stories?"

"You do realize," Logani said softly, "that only a few hours ago you were possessed?'

"Uh…" Asuka trailed off. She scowled; she didn't like being proven wrong so easily. "Fine then Mr. Wise Guy. What next then?"

"Well," Logani said, "We can't take the Evas, that'll take way too long. We need to go as fast as we can. Any ideas?"

Eager to reprove herself Asuka spoke up, "There's supersonic VTOL in one of the hangers."

Logani nodded, "That's perfect." Already his strength was replenishing. "We'll take that," he said, standing up.

"What about the Evas?" asked Touji.

Logani looked at Unit 01 and 02 before turning to Unit 04. "Go get the custom positron gun from the JSSDF base and come back here. Protect these two," he jerked his head at Unit 01 and 02, "until we get back."

Unit 04 raised its hand and saluted before moving back to its elevator. It took off upwards with a smile. Rei nearly feinted. "Do I have to pilot that one?" she asked in her quiet voice.

"Unless someone else wants to trade you," Logani said looking around for volunteers. There were none. "Ow well," he said apologetically, "sorry Rei. Now let's go find that jet."

They set off for the jet hanger. From there it was off to North America and Tabris' original body.

* * *

Short chapter, I know. I've planned everything out and my origonal estimate was a little high. Aiming for 22 chapters plus a true Neon Genesis Evangelion split ending. Sorry, no movie though.

Not that any of you would go see it. r&**_R_**.


	18. ReVenge

**Reign of the Tabri**

Chapter 18: ReVenge

* * *

Fortunately the supersonic VTOL was fueled up and ready to go. All they had to do was power it up, activate the auto-pilot and set the coordinates. Everyone strapped in as Logani entered the coordinated of the former Tabri base. 

Shinji grasped his restraints with just a little bit of fear. He'd never flown in a VTOL before. The first time he had seen one it had been destroyed by Sachiel. And now Sachiel was back… This made him really look forward to flying in one of them.

Asuka plopped down in the copilot seat and let out a yawn. She'd flown circles in these things before. Why should this time be any different?

Rei sat calmly. She turned to her left and starred into the empty seat. 'I wish I'd never wished for freedom from him,' she thought. She continued to stare at the seat throughout the journey.

Touji sat in back next to Shinji. He took the window seat and starred out into the now deserted hanger. The giant letter 18 was painted on one of the walls. He starred into it blankly. 'How many hangers must they have here?' he thought.

Logani sat in the pilot seat as he powered everything up. Once everything was ready to go he turned to look at the children. 'Interesting,' he thought, 'All of us piling into a plane like this. And none of us even look over sixteen.' He entered the final coordinates and set the autopilot for takeoff.

The ship took off in the regular VTOL fashion. Straight up into the sky, a slow stop while the engines turned, then a rapid boost forward. 'This ship is fast,' thought Logani, 'but father will be going much faster then this in Michel's body. Plus he has a head start.' He bit his lip and thought of what lay ahead of the VTOL. Stopping Tabris would be no easy task, especially if he had already taken his old body back. Logani shivered at the thought of father's old body.

Asuka looked at him cross-ways. "What are you shivering for?" she demanded.

Logani turned to look at her. He just shook his head. "Nothing," he said forcefully.

Asuka snorted. "Sure," she said as she turned back to looking out the window, "nothing." She made an exasperated snort and left it at that.

* * *

Robertus watched them take off from the outskirts of Tokyo-3. He made a smile only an Evangelion could make and turned towards the JSSDF base. 

The base had been roughly destroyed by the Tabri after the UN attempt to retake Tokyo-3. Buildings had been pulled down, walls destroyed, and airstrips turned into small mountains. The Tabri had done a very thorough job of making sure the base would never be used again.

They'd even infiltrated all the levels of the base. While the JSSDF did not have nearly as large an underground fort as NERV it was still impressive. Around thirty stories of secret labs and command centers had been built, and then destroyed by the Tabri.

As Robertus walked he couldn't help but wonder were everyone was. 'Although,' he thought, 'if a human heard an Evangelion coming wouldn't they hide?'

The JSSDF base was around a hundred miles from Tokyo-3. Robertus made the trip in around twenty minutes. He didn't want to rush himself at all.

'Let's see if it can be salvaged,' he thought. He sincerely doubted and hoped it at the same time. The Tabri wouldn't have left it alone. They'd have been too efficient for that.

He spread out his AT-field and began shifting through the rubble. It was amazing how much stronger his AT-field became when used through the Evas core. It amplified it at least tenfold.

They needed the Custom Positron Rifle the JSSDF had badly. A sneak attack without a powerful sniper would be practically suicide. None of the Positron Rifles at NERV would be nearly strong enough. If they couldn't break through Ramiel's AT-field they would be little use on say, Adam.

'Why couldn't they just have left it at NERV?' Robertus thought, 'Wouldn't it have made sense to have it on hand? At least they could've kept it for safe keeping.'

He found it, or at least the core of it. The barrel was twisted uselessly, the sighting was missing completely, and the stock was broken off. But what was important was the actual firing mechanism. If it continued to work then the other pieces could be replaced from normal Positron Rifles.

Robertus looked over the firing mechanism with a trained eye. It looked salvageable to him. 'Maybe a test firing is in order,' he thought. He pulled the twisted barrel off. The Positron Rifle now more closely resembled a Positron squirt gun. Nevertheless the handle still fit into Robertus' hand. He took aim for a distant mountain. He squeezed the trigger and nothing happened.

Robertus scowled. 'Logani's not going to enjoy learning this,' he thought, 'I might as well bring it anyway though, I guess.'

He carried the broken rifle back to NERV. He lowered himself back into Central Dogma and looked Unit 01 and Unit 02 over. They seemed fine to him. He sat down and began looking over the broken rifle.

* * *

Logani ordered the autopilot to put them down on the outskirts of the enclave. He figured there was no point in alerting his father. As far as Tabris knew there would be no team to go stop him. 

Logani turned to look at his crack team. Rei would be useful. Asuka and Shinji might react in an emergency. Touji…

"Touji," Logani said. Touji turned to look at him, preparedness written in his face. "Guard the ship," he ordered.

Touji's jaw dropped. "What do ya' mean guard the ship!" he shouted.

"You don't know how to use an AT-field stupid," Asuka smirked.

Touji jerked up and pointed his finger at Asuka angrily, "And you do!" he shouted.

Asuka smirked and was about to give Touji a demonstration when Logani intervened. "You could," he said to Touji, "but we don't have time to explain it to you. Any moment now my father's going to get his original body back and come up here. Then we'll become dead, got it?"

Touji and Asuka froze for a moment before nodding. "Good," Logani continued, "Rei, take the back. Shinji, Asuka, stay close to me."

The three children nodded and waited for Logani to crack the door of the ship. When he finally did they were all taken aback. "An open prairie?" demanded Asuka, "That's your secret base!"

Logani shook his head and pointed to a small hole in the ground about twenty feet from the ship. "Underground," he said coolly. The others all nodded slowly.

"Isn't it always?" asked Shinji with a sigh.

"Deal with it Third Child," Asuka said. She followed Logani out of the ship. Shinji made a small scowl and set out after them. Rei followed Ikari obediently.

Logani walked up to the hole and pointed his finger at it. His AT-field shot out and expanded the hole twofold. Peering into the darkness Asuka thought that they could probable fit two across if they had too. She hoped they didn't.

Logani started down the tunnel, expanding his AT-field in front of him in order to give himself a dim light. Shinji waited for Asuka to follow him. He waited in vain.

Asuka shoved him into the tunnel. Shinji tripped and fell on his head. He rolled over and massaged his head. "Hey!" he shouted.

"Shut up Third Child!" Asuka shouted at him, "I'm not going to let you stare at my ass the whole time! Now get moving!" Shinji couldn't help but start going. He rubbed his new bruise on his head and felt a little annoyed. He'd been looking forward to the view.

Asuka began following him down into the darkness. She began concentrating, trying to get her AT-field to expand in front of her. Her efforts were rewarded with a small glow forming on her hands. 'Not bad,' she thought, 'it won't expand much but I bet its better then what Shinji could do,' she comforted herself.

Rei became slightly distressed when she realized she wouldn't be following Ikari directly. Disappointment was imminent in her head. She began following Pilot Soryu, projecting her AT-field behind her to guard from any sort of back attack Logani seemed to anticipate.

They followed the trail Logani blazed for over an hour. It looped downwards and around all sorts of things. Asuka played with her AT-field and Shinji thought of what he would say to Kowaru when he met him. 'Do I hate him?' Shinji asked himself, "Do I want to be his friend?" Rei followed, keeping a wary eye over her shoulder. Logani continued like there was no threat in the world down here. He walked like he'd done it a thousand times before. It was actually two-thousand but who was counting?

Finally the tunnel opened up. Logani stopped on a landing looking out on a large cavern. The others grouped up around him to look at the city below. Logani smiled and stretched his arm out. "All of this was ours," he said triumphantly.

No one said anything as they looked across the deserted city. The dim light coming from above made the city look all the more ghost like. Logani started down a stair way to their right. It led down into the city.

Asuka followed without a second thought. Shinji hesitated just for a moment before starting down. Rei waited for Shinji to get a little ahead before following. Now Shinji could enjoy the view.

The stairway led to the main street of the city. Logani turned around to face the others, continuing to walk. "We called it Domus," he told them. Asuka and Shinji made confused expressions and Logani elaborated, "It means home in Latin."

"Oh," Shinji said.

Asuka just looked more confused. "Isn't Latin a dead language?" she asked.

"Not to us," Logani said, "A lot of our language and even names are Latin. Believe it or not, a lot of us were born when Rome was still in power."

Asuka blinked in surprise. She almost stopped walking. "I knew you were old, but not that old!" she said.

Logani made a small laugh, "I don't look it, I know," he said smiling. He turned around to face forward once more.

Asuka felt a little confused by the strange conversation. Shinji felt a little estranged. Rei almost felt.

They continued along the main road until it ended. Logani pointed ahead of him and, without even slowing, shot his AT-field out to hit the wall. A seemingly invisible door slid out of the way. Logani had to duck slightly to fit through the entrance but he managed. From the other side he gestured for the others to come.

They walked up and Asuka and Shinji crouched. Rei faced away from the doorway, eyes sweeping for any signs of movement. Logani began speaking quietly, "Father's body isn't far from here. Be on your guard, he may not have his new body yet but he'll still be very powerful. Michel's body with fathers' AT-field will be stronger then the Tabris you fought before Shinji."

Asuka nodded calmly, already prepared to summon her AT-field in an instant. Shinji gave a slower nod. He was not as prepared to fight as Asuka was. He hadn't even thought about the dream he'd had beyond a second glance. It hadn't made sense so he'd ignored it. Rei was always ready.

Logani moved out of the doorway and the three children entered the room. Inside was a dark hallway. Logani did not use his AT-field to light the way and the others followed his example.

The hallway was short, only a few yards to another wall. Logani placed his hand on it and shoved it in. The doorway swung open to reveal a much better lit room. It seemed to Shinji that the light was red. It came from above, seeming to drift down lazily. Logani entered the room. Asuka, Shinji, and Rei followed close on his heels.

After entering the room it became immediately apparent that it was ovular. To the right lay nothing. Straight ahead lay nothing. To the left…

To the left was a pair of steps leading up to were Tabris sat cross-legged. His eyes were closed as if he were about to take a deep plunge. Stretching out beneath and behind him was inky blackness falling into nothingness. Above him lay his body.

Asuka recognized it as an embryonic form, like Sandalphon had been found in. Through the yellow shell surrounding the body Shinji could see wings and lots of teeth and claws. He could clearly see three eyes on just the side of the head. Three more must have been on the other side. A tail ridged with spikes looped around under the hind legs. Another pair of legs or arms, Shinji couldn't tell, extended in front of the face as if reaching for something.

Shinji let out a soft whistle in awe. Logani cringed visibly.

Tabris opened his eyes a fraction of an inch. Then they widened fully. He looked them over calmly. "I must say I'm impressed," he said calmly, "I thought for sure that blow would have killed you Logani. And Shinji, it is good to see you again. Even now."

"Kowaru!" Shinji shouted. Tabris shook his head and stood.

"Kowaru was just a name given to me Shinji," his voice was as quiet and soothing as always, "I am truly Tabris."

Shinji clenched his teeth together angrily and prepared to say something. Logani cut him off. "We've come to stop you father," he said.

Tabris looked skeptical. "Stop me?" he asked, "You do know I'm not resurrecting Adam here right?" Logani nodded. "Then why, dear son, are you here?"

Logani nodded to the embryo behind Tabris. Tabris turned to look at it and broke out in a soft smile. He turned back to looking at his son. "My body?" he said.

"Yes," Logani said, "to use it against the other angels."

Tabris thought it over for a few moments. "I suppose that makes sense," he said. He looked at Asuka and Rei for a moment. "Ah, hello ladies, I didn't see you there," he said calmly.

Asuka blinked. She wasn't used to her enemies being so …polite. She scowled. "If you think you can butter-talk us Tabris you're wrong," she said, "dead wrong."

Tabris smiled weakly. "Forgive me," he said, "I had no intention of angering you."

That just pissed Asuka off more.

Tabris turned to Rei. "Hello, have you thought about what I told you last time we met?" he said.

Rei gave a small nod. Thought of similarities ran through her head. 'Aren't I more similar to a Tabri then him?' she thought.

Tabris turned back to Logani and Shinji. "What did you plan to do? Assault me with just the four of you?" he said calmly.

Shinji nodded. Logani shook his head. Shinji blinked and turned to look at Logani. "I plan to take you down one-on-one," Logani said.

Tabris nodded. "Noble," he said, "and as ever true to your honor. I suppose you promised yourself not to let Shinji here die?"

Logani took a step forward and nodded. "Exactly," he said, "and besides, at this point their all more important then I am. Without me they can still beat the Messengers. Without any one of them I'd halve their chances."

Tabris thought it over for a moment. He nodded. "I guess so," he said, "Logani? When was the last time I told you I loved you?"

Logani took another step forward, "You're not going to trick me out of this!" he shouted.

Tabris shook his head. "I wasn't going to even try," he said, "But a father must look out for his children whenever possible."

Logani said, "Like you did to all the others? The ones you let your siblings kill!" he was yelling now, "You let your siblings kill mine! I will not stand for this!"

Tabris nodded tiredly, "I regret nothing more in my whole existence then that. Not even letting Shinji kill me. I really should have put a stop to it."

Logani shook his head. "That's not good enough! You should have died to protect them! As they were all willing to do for you!" he shouted.

Tabris froze as if shot. He looked deep into Logani's eyes, only a few feet away by now. He moved.

Logani barely managed to react in time. Tabris faked to Logani's left and then moved to the right. Logani managed only a simple block before the impact wrenched him around in a 180 degree turn. Logani swung his foot around hoping to catch Tabris in a foot sweep but he was already gone.

Tabris then struck at Logani's right side, now the opposite side, once more. Logani ducked one attack and then felt a kick connect in his midsection. He found himself driven upwards into the embryo. But rather then being caught on it, or even entering it, he found himself smashing into it. Apparently Angel embryos aren't as thin as chicken eggs.

Logani began falling into the seeming emptiness beneath him. He was only about twenty feet down when Tabris materialized in front of him. He drove a fist into Logani's stomach and flew upwards. Logani found himself balanced on the fist and being hurled upwards at high speeds.

They broke the ridge and Logani was thrown off of Tabris by a knee/elbow combo to the head. He landed only a few feet in front of Shinji. Shinji's eyes widened and he took a step back in confusion.

Tabris landed back on the top of the stairs as he had been before. He watched Shinji take the step back. He barely noticed Asuka and Rei rush to Logani's side. Asuka began looking Logani over. Rei had other plans. She turned and began a barreling charge at Tabris.

He activated his AT-field and Rei smashed into it headlong. She fell onto the ground, several vertebrae nearly broken. She was down.

Shinji looked at Rei's broken body with horrified eyes. Slowly his eyes turned back to looking at Tabris. Asuka was ten steps ahead of him. "You bastard!" she shouted. She took a step forward to charge like Rei had.

She found herself stopped. She struggled to break free only to realize that it was no act of Tabris that had stopped her.

She turned to look at Shinji, grabbing her forearm in a death grip, head turned away with his hair covering his eyes. "Asuka, please. No," he pleaded.

"Shinji…" she said in surprise.

Shinji turned to look into her eyes and Asuka saw tears brimming. "You're all I have left now that Misato's gone," he whispered, "Don't leave me."

"But… Shinji someone has to stop him," she said, still thoroughly astonished.

Shinji nodded and pulled her back, away from Tabris, and behind him. He released her arm and began walking up the stairway. His head was lowered once more, hair blocking his eyes from Tabris. Tabris waited on the top of the stairway, waiting for Shinji to reach him.

Shinji stopped two feet from Tabris and brought his head up. Tears were still there, but had stopped coming. Shinji's face was pure serenity now. He was ready to do what he had to do.

Tabris did not have to wait much longer.

"You know," Shinji began, "when I first met you I was surprised. Later, after spending some time with you I began to love you. Just like you said you loved me. But now," Shinji threw his arm to one side and pointed behind him at Logani, "after seeing you do that to your own son," Shinji turned to point at Rei, "and doing that to Rei," his arms returned to his sides, "But now I can't help but despise you."

Tabris acted as if he had been slapped.

"You act all polite and nice," Shinji said, "But on the inside you're just another one of them. You're here to kill humanity. Saying you don't want to just gives you a less guilty conscience. You like saying you don't want to. It makes you feel good. Doesn't it, Kowaru?"

Tabris choked in silence.

"Doesn't it Kowaru!" Shinji yelled.

Tabris took a step back, thoughts reeling.

Shinji raised his hand in an accusing gesture. Unknown to him orange hexagons began sprouting from his finger. "You have allowed the deaths of thousands of your own children! And for what? Acceptance from your siblings! Do they really matter that much to you! After I beat all of them did you just want to die so you could join them!" Shinji shouted.

Shinji was walking forward, finger still pointed at Tabris. Tabris stumbled backwards and fell. "Shinji," he begged, "I didn't mean-" he cut off as his body crumpled into emptiness.

Asuka stood up wondering if Shinji had accidentally killed Tabris. Or worse, not on accident.

Shinji didn't even waste another breath on Michel's empty body. He turned to look at the sleeping behemoth above him. "I'm not done with you yet!" he shouted.

Tabris opened his eyes. They riveted onto Shinji, wanting his blood. Tabris began to shed its embryonic shell in order to attack Shinji. It didn't come off.

Tabris' eyes widened as it realized what was going on. The entire embryo was surrounded by orange hexagons holding it in. To counter, Tabris extended his own AT-field.

Shinji was not going to let that happen. Now he really began concentrating. Slowly, he gained ground on Tabris. Slowly Shinji pushed Tabris' field further and further in.

Tabris' eyes searched around it in a frenzy. They searched for any weakness in Shinji's trap. They found none. Finally they turned back to Shinji.

Shinji stood with his arms at his side. He returned the eyes' gaze with absolute serenity. "I loved you Kowaru," he said, "but you have proven yourself irredeemable."

Shinji closed his eyes and felt Tabris' soul collapse in his AT-field's grip. Tabris' soul was gone once more.

Once more.

Now Shinji turned his AT-field on Rei. The damaged vertebrae in her back knitted themselves back together and she awoke painfully disoriented. Next Shinji turned his field on Logani. He studied the Tabri's unique physique for a moment before setting about the healing. Soon Logani was clenching his fists to make sure he was living.

Finally, Shinji returned his AT-field to its rightful place protecting his soul. He began walking down the stairway. As he passed Logani he stopped and whispered, "Do what you have to do."

Logani nodded and walked up to the still trapped body of Tabris. He began his work.

* * *

There you go, the fall of Tabris. Two down, fourteen left, and one to be resurrected(?)

19 and 20 are going to be more of getting ready. Look for the big fight in 21 and the clincher in 22.

Special thanks to AnimeFan64 and Asarganth for leaving three reviews each now! Between the two of you thats over half. Keep it up guys!

To everyone else why no reviews? Does it suck to bad? You just lazy? Not care enough?

I'd say I'd update faster with more reviews but who am I kidding? r&**_R_**


	19. Tabri or ReMembrance

**Reign of the Tabri**

Chapter 19: Tabri (ReMembrance)

* * *

Logani concentrated hard. Not hard as in how a normal human would do it. Hard like only a Tabri could. He thought hard as in changing the sleeping form of Tabris into something resembling Tabris. That was really hard.

First he shredded the embryonic layer. He then spread the body out so he could see what he had to work with. Wings spread, arms extended and feet lowered. The six eyes opened and stared blankly into space.

Logani could see what he needed to do. The scales could become the armor, the wings super concentrated into the shoulder pylons. The s2 engine would need to be shifted up slightly, the claws retracted a little. He decided he'd keep six eyes.

He began.

* * *

Shinji sat down on a rock and cradled his head in his arms. He was not sad, that was what made him sad. He'd killed Kowaru all over again now. It stung only slightly less then last time had.

Rei stood and examined her body structure. She was fully healed, that was for sure. She turned to watch Logani do his work.

Asuka waited uncomfortably. Inside of her a rebellion raged. A small part of her kept bugging her to go comfort Shinji. A bigger part told her to go hit him and tell him to stop moping. Either way the fighting was wrecking her head. It needed to stop. She took a tentative step towards Shinji. She planned to do… something.

Before she could take another step Logani finished. He sent the finished creation soaring upwards and into the roof. It broke through and continued upwards, into the land above.

In the ship Touji felt a rumble and looked out of the window. What he saw would follow him for the rest of his life. A giant Eva/Angel sized creation broke through the ground and onto the surface. Touji nearly wet himself. 'Tabris?' he thought, 'or did they win?'

It would be a little while longer till he found out.

Logani turned to look at the others. It seemed to him that Asuka was a little closer to Shinji then she'd been when he began. He decided to not worry about it. He nodded and said, "Let's go."

Shinji lifted his head and looked past Logani. "What about that?" he asked.

Logani turned and found Michel's body still lying were it had fallen, abandoned. Logani scowled. He was not about to just leave something like that lying around. He walked up and picked up the corpse by the throat. He casually tossed it into the abyss. He turned and nodded again. "Let's go," he repeated. This time there were no contradictions.

The exited the same way they had entered the strange chamber. Only this time Logani did not lead. Asuka set off at a brisk pace, almost as if hurrying away from something, or someone. Rei matched her pace and was only a few feet behind.

Shinji continued to sit on the rock. Logani approached him and sat down across from him. He rested his hands on his head and starred out into the abyss. "You know," he began, "when I first learned you'd killed father I was angry with you," he smirked and closed his eyes, "At least half-a-dozen times I almost assassinated you myself. Particularly after the other attempts failed."

Shinji brought his head up to look at Logani. "Other attempts?" he said dumbly.

Logani continued on, ignoring Shinji. "But now, you know, I'm glad you killed him. He was a liar, and a deceiver. This world is better without him," he said.

Shinji pot pissed fast. He reached out and snagged Logani by the collar of his shirt. He pulled his face close to his own and spat out, "Other attempts?"

Logani locked on to what Shinji said and slowly nodded. Shinji released him. "What other attempts?" Shinji demanded.

"There were quite a few," Logani said slowly, "through out the years. Originally it was just to get to Gendo. Then later we realized he was going to have you pilot Unit 01. You became our biggest target."

"What?" Shinji said, "Why!"

"To stop you from stopping the Messengers, somehow you always avoided us thought" Logani said, "Come on, walk with me and I'll explain." They both stood and exited the smaller chamber. Logani sealed it behind them.

"You have to understand Shinji," Logani began, "It was nothing personnel. It was just that your father was working to stop our father's breathing," his face took a thoughtful form; "You know we're really alike a lot? Both our father's were lying bastards."

Shinji hung his head. "And now they're both dead," he said. He was beginning to look like he might vomit.

Logani hung his head as well. He knew he should not have brought that up. 'O well,' he thought. "But look," he began, "I need to explain this to you. Can you listen?"

Shinji did not respond. He just marched on at Logani's side. Logani sighed and decided to take that as a yes. "We learned from father in 2000 that the Messengers were going to attack. We were told the order, the ways they'd attack, and in a sense everything."

A small part of Shinji's mind was hearing all of this. It dawned, on this small part, that if they'd known everything they could have stopped it. "If you knew it," he asked sullenly, "why didn't you stop it?"

Logani's closed his eyes and stopped walking. "It was all an aspect of sides then," he said quietly, "we didn't want our father to die so we did the only thing that made sense at the time. We helped him, even as the human sides of us screamed not to."

Shinji couldn't help but ask another question, "Help him?"

"Yeah," Logani said, "We cause hundreds of "accidents" in NERV. Delays for Evangelion production, deaths of every key official we could get to, disappearance of key materials. We even completely removed NERV 02, making it disappear in under five seconds."

Shinji's eyes narrowed. "That was you!" he shouted, "You killed hundreds that day! Because of that Eva 03 was brought to Japan! Because of you Touji has to use artificial limbs!"

Logani, not being one to take blame when it was not his, scowled. "Wouldn't that be more wisely blamed on Bardiel? I mean, at least the whole Touji part."

Shinji was beyond listening. He turned to storm out of the city but was stopped when Logani shouted after him, "Is there no way to redeem oneself?"

Shinji turned back around. He starred Logani right into the eyes. "How many innocents have died by your hand?"

Logani's eyes narrowed. "You think I'm evil? I killed my own brothers and sisters to save innocent lives. I'm willing to lay down my life a hundred times to save humanity. Something I honestly care little for. I'd give my soul to stop the Messengers."

Shinji shook his head. "I didn't question your resolve. Now tell me, how many innocents have you killed!"

"Who is innocent?" Logani said accusingly.

"What?" Shinji shouted, "How can you ask that?"

"Are you an innocent Shinji? You only protected yourself and humanity. Still, you killed Messengers. Beings that have lived for millennium. Am I an innocent? I have ordered many humans deaths, true but never directly killed one. Yet I still seek to help you stop the Messengers and save humanity? How do you weigh innocents?" Logani shouted.

Shinji struggled with this. 'What is an innocent? Someone who hasn't done anything? But did the Angels ever really do anything? Sure, they tried but does that count?' His head began to swirl. He pressed his hand to his forehead to try to stop it. It would not.

Soon he found himself aboard an all too familiar train.

* * *

Across from him was the all too familiar form of himself. Outside he could hear the lumbering of the train as it went down the tracks. Shinji opened his mouth to speak but he beat himself to it.

"He's right you know," said the Shinji Ikari who watches Shinji Ikari, "What is an innocent but an interpretation?"

The Shinji who is watched by others was not going to be thrown off balance this time. "You're bending words. You're just trying to justify actions!"

"But are not actions justified by their means?" asked the Shinji Ikari who watches Shinji.

"The ends don't justify the means," said the Shinji Ikari who is watched.

"What about the Angels?" asked the Shinji Ikari who watches.

"What about them?" asked the Shinji who is watched.

"You had to kill in order to save humanity. Did not saving humanity justify killing the Angels?" asked the Shinji who watches.

The watched Shinji shouted, "Of course it did! It was to protect innocent lives! It was to save humanity! Anything justifies that!"

"But does not any leader think this way?" asked Shinji, "Even a leader of Tabri? Would he not try to protect his people, just as you did yours?"

He found himself speechless. Shinji felt a lurch in the train. He looked out the window and say that the train was now curving to the left. Now becoming farther and farther away Shinji could see tracks leading to the right. He turned back to face himself and could only begin to think an answer before he awakened from the dream world.

* * *

Logani moved to catch Shinji's falling body. He was only halfway there, Shinji still only beginning to fall, when Shinji awakened. He opened his eyes and turned the beginning of a fall into a step forward. Logani stopped his rush forward in an instant.

Shinji locked onto Logani's eyes. "The ends justify the means," he said, "but you should've thought of the means first. You should've thought about what a world without humans would be like."

Logani leaned backwards. 'He thought of all that while he was sleeping for that long!' he thought.

Shinji continued, "You were right to try to protect your people, as any good leader would. But you were wrong, like every bad politician is, to follow only what the people thought they wanted. You should've thought ahead and seen what your path would lead you too."

Logani took in his words calmly considering that Shinji could either be condoning or complementing his whole life. He waited patiently for Shinji to continue.

"I believe that you believed what you were doing at the time was right," Shinji said, "And I respect your desire to continue to fight for what you believe in, especially if it's on my side. But I cannot agree with your methods."

Logani nodded. It wasn't exactly what he wanted but it was something. Shinji was willing to fight with Logani and that was all that really mattered.

Shinji returned his nod and turned to return to walking. He followed the path until he was back in the tunnel to the outside.

Logani remained in Domus. He looked over the city with a practiced eye.

He examined the entrance to the Tabri meeting cavern.

* * *

He raced Robertus to their padded seats on the balcony. He won by just a few inches, his hand being ever so slightly longer then his brother's. He smiled and proceeded to rub it in his brother's nose.

Below, on the stage, Father smiled at their playing. Today he would declare Logani High Speaker of the Conclave of the Tabri. On this day his life would change forever.

* * *

Logani's eyes drifted to a certain house were one of his sisters had once lived.

* * *

Leslen had become quick friends with Logani when they first met. She had looked into him and seen a good future. It didn't matter to Logani that she would've seen this in anyone, it made him glad to meet her.

She'd been the brains of their outfit, Robertus was the muscle and the laugh, Logani had been the clean public image, the solid leader. Leslen had always been available for him to bounce ideas off of. She would listen whenever he needed to vent on issues of the conclave. She would offer advice on things when he could not seem to get it from anyone else.

* * *

Logani turned once more, this time to look at the home of his former political rival.

* * *

Michel had been the angriest when Logani had been appointed, by their father, High Speaker of the Conclave of the Tabri. He had waited with his lackeys after the inauguration. Caught up in all the celebration Logani had not thought to expect it.

He was the last out of the gathering chamber. He closed the door softly, more then a little tipsy. He turned around to find Michel and two others popping their fists in anticipation. "Whoa," he exclaimed.

Michel sneered. "He says whoa," he let out a soft chuckle, "whoa. Ha ha ha, whoa. You're dead Logani!" He pounced forward, utterly oblivious to anything else, anger taking over his body.

Logani set himself and entered with a roundhouse kick to Michel's head. Michel was diving forward fast enough that he never saw it coming. It connected and shoved Michel backwards, to be caught and thrown back up by his lackeys. Michel steeled himself for another go.

Logani was not going to let him do it. Before Michel was ready he'd already summoned Death to his rescue. Robertus and Leslen were not far behind on his call list.

Death came out in full force, easily removing the lackeys with elbows in the back. Michel was held upwards by one hand, Death's unblinking gaze staring into him. After a moment Michel passed out. Death lowered him and turned to Logani. Logani nodded and the lumbering death trap returned to its home.

Leslen and Robertus showed up shortly. Leslen was surprised that Michel had tried something as utterly obvious as a front assault. Robertus was a little disappointed that it was over before he got there.

* * *

'Good times,' Logani thought. As thinking of that type often does Logani was suddenly bombarded by images of bad times. It didn't help that he turned to look at the entrance and exit of the cave system.

* * *

He had left at night. It had seemed like it would be better that way. He'd known that he was, in a way, abandoning Leslen and Robertus but he didn't care. They were old enough to look out for themselves.

If only he'd known that his leaving would drive Michel to power. That soon Robertus would be running for his life and that Leslen would be left alone. If only he'd known what would happen with his leaving.

He approached the stairs sullenly, sometimes taking two steps for every one step. It was nearly twenty minutes before he reached the top. What he found there would not have been to his liking, if he was in a sane mood.

Michel waited for him, again, with a smile. "Aw," he smirked, "poor Logani running away?"

The few others of Michel's inner circle made similar jabs but he was too far away to hear them. He'd felt like everything hurt, like it was time to lay down and not get back up again. For awhile he'd done just that.

* * *

Logani clenched his fists in anger at what had happened that night. He was angry at Michel, ow sure, but his anger was mostly directed at himself. He had run away. But at least now he was cleaning up this mess he had made.

He began climbing the steps, this time at a better pace, one last time. 'I will never return here,' he decided, 'even if I live.'

He reached the top, took stock of the city one last time, and entered the tunnel. He closed the tunnel behind him as he went. 'Don't look back,' he thought. He never did.

* * *

Got it out tonight, barely. Look for 20 in probably two days, maybe three. As I said before it'll be like this one. More reviews are good. Thank you. r&**_R_**


	20. Human or ReFlection

**ReIgn of the Tabri**

For Best Results: Listen to Megadeth's 'Elysian Fields' while reading. Listen to the lyrics, they can explain some thought patterns. (Including mine when I wrote this)

Chapter 20: Human (ReFlections)

* * *

Touji lowered the entrance ramp for them and scrambled out. "What the hell is that!" he shouted, pointing at the modified body of Tabris standing guard over the VTOL.

Asuka, being the first out of the tunnel, laughed at him. "Idiot," she said, pointing it out as something he should've known, "That's the new Evangelion unit. You get to pilot it!" She smirked and watched all the blood drain from his face.

Rei turned to see Logani closing the tunnel completely. "What is it to be called?" she asked softly.

"Just call it sixteen," he said calmly, "that's what the next one would've been."

Rei launched another question almost before the first had impacted. "How will we get it to Tokyo-3?" she asked.

Logani gestured to Touji. "Ready for a reintroduction to piloting?" he asked. The blood drained from Touji's face again. Now he was almost as pale as Rei.

* * *

Logani used his AT-field as an elevator in order to lift himself, and Touji, to the back of the recently named Unit 16. What they found was an entry plug of sorts. It didn't as much eject from the Evangelion as much as open up. It was an entirely organic system. It gave Touji the creeps.

"Why do I have to get the one that looks like it'll eat me?" he asked.

"You'd rather have Rei's?" Logani asked as they climbed in. Touji shook his head violently. "Good. Look, we've got a lot to cover so listen closely. The controls are just like a normal Evas but some of the subsystems are different. First off there's an s2 organ installed in here," Logani said, pointing at a blinking light. Touji nodded calmly, his eyes narrowed in thought. "It'll give you an unlimited power supply. Second, this Evangelion has no armor. This'll increase your mobility but decrease your armor strength, got it?" Logani said. Touji nodded again and looked over the view screen. Logani finished with, "Finally this Eva has no built in weapons. That means no prog knife, ok?"

Touji nodded again, slightly lost at even the weakest techno-jargon. 'I'll figure it out,' he thought. He slipped on the neural plugs he'd found in his plug suit when he put it on. The seat was similar to what Unit 03s had been, but with a slightly more organic feel. Touji could've sworn that it conformed perfectly to his body, making it utterly comfortably.

Logani walked him through a shortened start up and soon Touji was making awkward steps towards Japan.

Practice makes perfect though and soon Touji had the hang of it. Soon the Eva was marching at a solid pace. Eventually Touji mastered walking enough that he was able to become more aware of his surroundings. He turned two of the Evas six eyes upwards to notice the VTOL flying above him. It was traveling at its slowest pace, but it was still managing to stay relatively near to him. 'Come on Touji, give them a show,' he thought. He began pushing himself harder, soon he was running.

Logani smiled. Even if Touji couldn't seem to understand a word he was saying it was still working. Unconsciously Touji was locking onto every word Logani was saying and learning from them. 'Either that,' thought Logani, 'or Touji doesn't have a lot of secrets to keep from himself.'

Logani decided it almost had to be the second one. He decided to shut up and let Touji take him back to Tokyo-3.

* * *

Asuka decided it was time for a nap. She plopped down in the pilot's seat and soon was fast asleep.

Shinji sat in the copilot's seat and eyed her wearily. He knew she could fake sleeping easy as day. It was only a matter of time until she caught him looking at her and whooped his ass for it. Yet, if he faced away she'd have the element of surprise for sure. What to do?

Rei sat in the back of the VTOL considering the coming battle and plans. She was going to be ready to save any lives that needed it. Her skills would be put to the test soon and she would not let them fail.

It was only a matter of time until they reached Tokyo-3.

* * *

It was time until they reached Tokyo-3.

Touji had pushed himself to his limits and had managed to make it across the ocean, holding his AT-field around him in order to breathe, as Logani had recommended. Finally he broke free of the ocean's grasp and managed the last few miles to Tokyo-3.

Logani directed him to one of the lifts in the city, obviously out in the open. Touji entered the lift and began descending. In only a few seconds he was in Central Dogma.

Unit 04 had the immediate drop on them. It put its rifle straight into Touji's face. One shot and it would all be over.

With a rifle end smashed squarely into his face Touji very nearly panicked. Only Logani's shout over the radio system stopped him from going into a roll and then…doing some stuff.

"It's us Robertus," Logani said. Touji relaxed as the rifle was lowered.

((u couldve died))

Logani grinned and replied, "When? I've lost count of all the times."

((:p))

Touji lowered Unit 16 down onto a one knee position. Then he ejected the plug. Logani lowered the both of them back to ground level and into an opening in the partially destroyed forest of Central Dogma.

Shinji, Asuka, and Rei lowered the VTOL into the clearing and got out. "Now what?" asked a sleep stained Asuka.

"Final preparations," Logani said before turning to look at the looming form of Unit 04 and Robertus, "Did you find it?"

((its broken but salvageable at least part of it is I found some new parts for as well))

Logani nodded. "About what I expected it to be like," he said before turning back to look at the kids, "I'll go work on it with Robertus. You all should do anything you want to get ready for this. You know, pick weapons to carry and such."

Asuka nodded enthusiastically and Logani turned to follow Unit 04 to where it had placed the Custom Positron Rifle.

* * *

Asuka, Shinji, and Touji headed to the pyramid command center of NERV in order to decide on what to bring. Rei had decided to remain at the VTOL, citing that she did not need to pick weapons. The others had just shrugged and left her. She'd simply sat down in a cross-legged position and waited to be needed.

Asuka ran through the hallway to get to the control chamber. Once there she began climbing upwards, grin nearly splitting her face.

Touji and Shinji followed Asuka at a much slower price. "Like a little kid sometimes isn't she?" Shinji said absent mindedly. Touji agreed with a smirk.

"I heard that Third Child!" Asuka shouted as they entered the command room. Touji and Shinji turned up to see her sitting in Commander Ikari's chair, hands bridged in front of her face. The only thing ruining the impersonation was the shouting.

"Father never would…would have shouted," Shinji said gloomily.

Asuka slumped in her seat. That was definitely not what she had been trying to do. However a moping Shinji was not exactly a target one has to aim high to hit. Rather it is easier then dropping whatever you're aiming with.

She climbed down and looked around at the dust laden computers. The Magi had suffered deeply from the Tabri occupation. Already they were growing to the point of considering ruling the world. With their processing power and tri-powered intellect they just might be able to pull it off…

Shinji also looked around the nearly empty control room. "Father…" he said weakly.

"And Aoba, Makato, and Maya," Asuka extended the list of the dead.

"Don't forget Misato," Touji added his two cents to the conversation.

"How could we?" asked Shinji with a smile for all their good times.

"And Ritsuku, and-" Asuka was cut off by Shinji.

"Don't," he said coldly, "we don't need to stand here and name them all off."

Asuka paused, slightly surprised by Shinji interrupting her, and then agreed. "Yeah, we should remember them though," she said solemnly.

Shinji and Touji both nodded. What followed was a moment of mutually agreed upon silence.

All three of them looked at the hallowed seats that had once been filled with NERVs finest.

Nothing was specifically said to break the silence. They just finished their thoughts and drifted around. Eventually Asuka made it to a station. She looked at the seat and reluctantly took it. "Maya's station," she whispered. She pulled the station up and accessed the Magi.

They had been nearly dormant long enough to have switched off the alarms set off by the original Tabri attack. They had become smart enough to not even bat an eyebrow when a little girl accessed them.

Asuka pulled up a weapons information page as Shinji and Touji found seats. Without a spoken word to one another they picked what they would be bringing with them to the battlefield.

Asuka decided on an Eva-grade shotgun. She hadn't tried it yet but figured it would be as good as anything else. The battles always seemed to turn into close range brawls quickly enough that a shotgun would be useful. Counting on Unit 02s stronger progressive knife she picked no other weapon.

Shinji eyed the weapons list with both disdain and a practiced eye. He'd been trained by Dr. Akagi in nearly every weapon. Memories on how to use them surfaced in his head as he looked them over. He picked a slightly amplified Palette Rifle with a small scope for distance shots. On impulse he also picked one of the pistols NERV had produced for the Evangelions. It would do in a pinch.

Touji had barely mastered running, let alone even activating his AT-field. The weapons list seemed overly complicated. 'What the hell is a M14-SG8?' he thought. He briefly considered asking Shinji what some of the weapons were but decided against it. Asuka would just laugh at him again. He finally found something understandable, an RPG gun with a spearhead attachment. That made sense to him, after all an RPG was sort of shaped like a spear. He added it to his list, along with a battle axe. Oh, and maybe some more ammo. Just a pistol as well…maybe. The grenades looked promising.

Asuka and Shinji stood, having picked their weapons already. Touji decided on the RPG gun/spear, the axe, and a napalm grenade as well.

Touji stood and joined Asuka and Shinji near the exit. Shinji was looking the room over slowly, as if to never be able to forget it. "I don't think I'll ever be back here," he said with a slight happiness in his voice.

"Speak for yourself," Asuka said in a prideful way, "I think I'll definitely come back to NERV after this."

They set off, Shinji and Asuka walking next to each other and Touji trailing behind slightly. "Why would you want to come back here? After this there won't be any more Angels to fight," asked Shinji.

"So?" responded Asuka, "I'm sure their will be another reason for NERV to exist. Wars? Research? They'll think of something."

Shinji scrunched up his nose in retaliation. "You'd want to fight in another war?" he said in a demanding tone.

"Of course," she said, striking a scholarly pose as she walked, "wars are what keep us united as a people. Without them national pride will alleviate and people will drift apart."

"But what about all the innocent deaths?"

"What, civilians? In this day and age anyone who doesn't want to or can't fight will be evacuated in no time. Or didn't you notice that Tokyo-3 was almost always evacuated before a battle, even when we were caught by surprise. Only the combat elite will meet in the war-zone. And what with the Evangelions being created the wars of tomorrow are going to have an entirely different turn."

"How can you say that? Don't you know that with over half of humanity dead in second impact we need to stop and repopulate? We should enter a golden age of peace after this!"

"Don't argue with me on this Third Child! I'm a college graduate and know more about it then you'll ever know. What we need now is unity! A unity that can only be achieved through unifying war."

"That's a load of bullshit!" Shinji was fully caught up in the arguing now, "If there's a global war again we'll be wiped out!"

"As my professor in Germany said, 'A laying down of arms is like a cancer to our bones!'"

"That's the kind of bullshit I'd expect from some testosterone slaved German!"

"He was American dummkopf! And don't insult Germans like that ever again!" she shouted in his ear.

Touji watched from the back and said nothing. His thought traveled to Unit 16 and the coming battle where they should've been. Ahead of him the argument continued.

"You're only proving me right by fighting about this with me!" Asuka was saying.

Shinji opened his mouth to say something further but stopped. 'We've been fighting about whether or not to fight,' he thought, 'that's like forced pacifism.' He clammed up and turned away from Asuka as they left the pyramid structure.

They headed back to the VTOL, where Rei still waited.

* * *

Logani climbed out of the Custom Positron Rifle and looked over towards the VTOL. Shinji, Asuka, and Touji were returning from the pyramid. 'Uh-oh,' he thought, noticing Asuka and Shinji's body posture, 'looks like we have an argument on our hands.'

Robertus looked down at him and jerked his head towards the rifle. Logani nodded and sealed the compartment he had just climbed out of. Robertus picked it up and took aim at a piece of the geo-dome. He fired.

Nothing materialized from the gun. Something was wrong with it and Logani could not quite put his finger on it. He swore and cleaned his hands on his pants. It was getting late in the day. Soon the Messengers would begin their resurrection.

Robertus put the gun back down and Logani shook his head. Robertus agreed with a shrug. Logani headed towards the kids while Robertus considered the weapon.

Rei sat on a boulder that was poking out of the ground about thirty feet from the VTOL. Asuka and Shinji were separated by several feet, were sitting, and were facing away from each other. Touji yawned from his position leaning on the VTOL.

"All right bring it in," Logani said. Rei stood and came closer. The others turned to look at him. Asuka and Shinji looked a little more then half ticked off.

"Who put you in charge?" Asuka demanded.

"No one," Logani said, "It was by default. Now pay attention."

Everyone grudgingly agreed. "The Custom Positron Rifle still needs some tweaking. Robertus is going to work on that while we plan strategy. Got it?"

There was not a whole lot of response.

'Teenagers,' Logani thought with a huff. "How'd the weapons choosing go?" he said out loud.

"Fine," was the collective answer, spoken in multiple tones by the three members of that specific party.

"Good," he turned to Rei, "I see you've figured out you'll be using the Custom Positron Rifle?"

Rei nodded. "I would prefer it," she said quietly.

Logani was satisfied with the answer. "Asuka," he said.

"What?" she hissed.

"We have no way to get battery power to Antarctica and yours is the only unit without an s2 organ," he said.

Asuka froze. Unit 01 had eaten an s2 organ, Unit 04 had been designed with one, and Unit 16 had been an angel and therefore had a built in one. Unit 02 didn't. She stood up and shook her fist at Logani, "If you think that means I'll be staying here you're crazy!" she shouted.

Logani snorted. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said sarcastically, "I've already procured you one."

"What? Where!" she demanded.

Logani said, "In a pinch I can use my AT-field, along with my body, for power. But that'll remove me from being able to help the rest of you. Agreed?"

Asuka lit up a little bit when she realized she would be taking place in the battle but the others, with the exception of Rei, didn't really seem to care. It was like they were already facing down the Messengers in Antarctica.

"One more thing," Logani said, "We're kind of on a deadline. The Messengers will begin resurrection of Adam at any moment. We need faster transportation then walking. Any ideas?"

It was quiet for a moment. "How long will Adam's resurrection take?" asked Shinji.

Logani sighed. He'd wanted them to miss that part, but they needed to hear it at the same time. His ultimate goal had been transportation without this specific question. "I don't know," he said gravely, "But I can guess at least an hour. Needless to say we need to head down their ASAP. Like I said before, any ideas?"

As it had been before it was again. The graveness of the silence would've buried a tombstone. Finally, Rei spoke up. "Commander Ikari had transportation ships for all the Evangelions created. We can use them," she whispered.

Logani shook his head. "The F-type equipment won't work. It's too slow and needs pilots we don't have," he said.

"Not the F-type," Rei said. Everyone looked at her and she shrunk back slightly before speaking, "He had fast delivery planes produced towards the last of the Messengers attacks. He said they were for an emergency. For something like this…"

Everyone considered that Gendo might have planned for all of this. In the end everyone discarded the idea. Gendo Ikari was not a man to plan his own death.

Logani spoke, "Where are they?"

"They are located in the sublevels. I can find them and have them brought here by the catapults if you wish," she replied.

Logani nodded and Rei took off for one of the entrances to the lower levels. She moved at a pace that would've made a Tabri proud.

"What is Rei?" asked Asuka.

"She's human," Logani said after a slight pause, "if that's what you're asking. She's just…more thoroughly breed, if you will. Her connections to our common ancestor are more direct."

Shinji frowned. He knew Rei wasn't human; she'd been produced in a tank. "Common ancestor?" he asked.

"Lilith," Logani said, "the mother of humanity. The Second Messenger and your great grandmother about a million times removed. She's also related to me through my mother. That's what determined a Tabri's true strength. We were all very strong from being related to Tabris, but the addition of being closer to Lilith would make us all different."

"Oh," Shinji said. Asuka and Touji just looked at one another in confusion. Then they nearly jumped a foot each when they realized they'd just looked at each other. It scared them both a lot.

It only took that long for the catapults to start. Soon four giant blimp-like ships were ready for what looked like a launch. Rei returned in a flash. No one paid her a second glance and she liked it that way.

Suddenly an explosion rocked the geo-front. Everyone whipped around at the sound of several heavy footfalls. What they saw definitely turned Rei's face paler, if possible.

Unit 04 had gotten the Custom Positron Rifle to work and was dancing. The metal wire going from the rifle into its shoulder twisted slightly.

"It needed power," Logani whispered to himself, annoyed at his imperception.

* * *

Logani helped each of them into their Evangelions with his AT-field. Their plugs inserted, he went to Unit 02. He sat himself on its shoulder and turned his body into an emergency battery. Soon Asuka had the Evangelion humming with an infinity sign in place of the countdown timer.

Shinji tested Unit 01s reflexes and found that, if anything, they were better then before. 'No armor to slow me down now,' he thought. That was good.

Touji took a few relaxing breaths and then started up Unit 16. Colors swirled and finally connected. He was ready.

Rei closed her eyes and ground her teeth together. Finally she assumed command of Unit 16. Finally she managed to stop the dancing.

((you're no fun))

Rei flipped the Custom Positron Rifle over her back and put it into the weapons bay of her transport. Shinji, Asuka, and Touji checked their ships and found their selected weapons already stored. Apparently the Magi had been busy.

They climbed aboard their transports and set in their coordinates. The catapults launched them to the surface with a groan. Evangelions and transports were pushing the limits of the catapults systems.

They reached the surface and the catapults stopped, their mission done. Engines fired up on the transports, putting the Evangelions into the air in a matter of seconds.

Logani stopped his energy output; Unit 02 would not need him again until they landed. He allowed himself to enjoy the feeling of flying one last time.

In each of the cockpits the pilots prepared for their probable last mission. There was no com-chatter now, not when it was this close to the end.

Facing down fourteen Angels. Not one of the pilots expected to be able to survive it. They could only hope that their friends would make it. It was a grim hope.

* * *

Prepare for the big battle, its next chapter. Fourteen Angels versus four Evangelions. I haven't even started writing it yet and I'm afraid to start. It will probable be long. Look for it, unfortunately, in a week at most.

Do I really need to keep bitching about reviews?

See what I mean about Elysian Fields?


	21. Messenger

**Reign of the Tabri**

Chapter 21: Messenger or Omnium Finis Imminet

If you thought any of the other chapters were big...

* * *

Shinji shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Even in the fast delivery ships the trip was taking a long time. Already he'd triple checked all of his weapons and systems. Unit 01 was running like it had been reborn. Oh wait, it had been. 

The controls were waiting for his hands to grasp them. Unit 01 was waiting for his command. Should he give it he'd be freed from this cage of an airship. He barely even considered it.

His rifle and pistol were loaded, ready to fire. His progressive knife was stored in his shoulder pylon, sharpened to maximum. Shinji flexed his shoulders, and Unit 01s, to loosen up.

The mind of Shinji Ikari shifted towards his annoyance with Asuka. 'How the hell can she think war is necessary?' he thought to himself. With a struggle he managed to remove his annoyance and once more face the coming struggle.

His mind ticked off angels, and how best to destroy them. Some would be particularly dangerous. Ramiel and Arael would make any plan fall apart in a few seconds. Other angels, like Zeruel and Bardiel, would be stronger, but less likely to do anything surprising. However the angels like Leliel and Israfel would simply be hard to kill. 'We probable have the rifle for Ramiel,' he thought, 'and me and Asuka will have to do the synch dance to beat Israfel.' His mind began reworking the dance/attack in his head; it had been awhile since he'd last done it.

Soon he'd be butting heads with the Angels once more.

* * *

Asuka finished remembering the synch dance; it had been awhile since she'd last done it. She considered some of the other angels now. Thoughts of some of the Angels gave her the creeps slightly. Another, much larger part of her, was thinking more along the lines of payback 

Arael had raped her mind and humiliated her. That one would definitely pay first. Zeruel as well was high on her hit list. Gaghiel was there as well; no one possesses Asuka Langley Soryu's body and keeps living! 'What about Sandalphon?' she thought. She had forced Asuka to be rescued to Rei. 'Yes,' Asuka thought, 'she will pay.'

Soon nearly every Angel was on her payback list. Revenge was high on her mind.

She continued to review plans as she made a fifth final check on her weapons and armor. Unit 02 was ready now.

* * *

Touji fell asleep. 

He had a nightmare that Bardiel took over his Evangelion again. He dreamed that he had to fight him as the entry plug caved in.

The nightmare ended with him seeing Hikari possessed by Sandalphon.

Touji awoke with an angry start. He gritted his teeth and decided that after Bardiel Sandalphon was going to get it.

He sat back and gripped the controls loosely. His thoughts swam towards his now dead crush. He missed her. He had not forgotten his promise to bring her back.

"Hikari," he said in the dense LCL like substance, "this is for you."

Touji began checking his weapons. They were in order. Soon his thoughts turned to how best to carry extra rockets. Soon he would need to be using them.

* * *

Rei made a log of which enemies to hit first. It started with Ramiel, and then went to Arael and on down the line. 'I must not miss,' she thought. 

She practiced a few shots in virtual, lining up the sights on the target. She did not miss the practice shots so she decided to check on the actual rifle.

She turned Unit 04 to look at the rifle strapped next to her. It was still there, and would be ready whenever she decided she needed it.

* * *

Logani counted down the time until they would need to land. He did not want them to come down on top of the Angels, far from it. He would've preferred they land as far away as possible, but they were pressed for time. 

His mind pulled up a world map, left over from when Ireul had been storing things in his brain, and zoomed in on Antarctica. It showed literally nothing, the radiation from Adam's first attack having blanked out the whole continent.

Logani was going to have to wing their landing location. Much as he hated doing it that was their only option. Rei would have to find a suitable location from there.

* * *

Antarctica was reborn. The great ice continent had been destroyed by Adam's advent, but now it was reforming at an accelerated rate. Already there was a land mass a little bit bigger then Rhode Island. 

If the Angels had never existed scientists would have argued about it in millions of ways. Global climate change, gift from God, and quite a few others would've been talked about around the world.

As it was, that being with the Angels, there would not be a big outcry from something as strange as the reformation of a continent. Even if it was recreated in only about twenty minutes.

Strange things were signs of the time.

* * *

"Alright," Logani's voice crackled over the radio, "set them down here." 

They were a little bit more then half-way into the continent when he spoke. They descended onto the frozen plains and landed.

Logani was forced to reactivate himself as a battery once more. Asuka activated Unit 02 and removed her weapons from the storage bays located on it. She put the carrier onto the ground and turned to face the others. They had all already done the same. She deactivated Unit 02 so Logani could speak again.

"Good," he said, "here's the plan. Rei will snipe; the rest of you will spread out and surround the Messengers. Rei needs to decide on her position before the rest of you can set up. One more thing, I won't be able to help you as long as Unit 02 is operational. Alright? Let's go."

Unit 02 powered up once more and Asuka picked up her weapons. Shinji and Rei followed suit. Unit 16's jaw was dropped wide open. "That's the plan!" Touji demanded, "That just sounds like 'go kill them'!"

"Shut up Touji," Asuka said with a smirk, "We've tried crazier plans and they've worked."

"I agree," said Rei, "Major Katsuragi had much stranger plans then this."

"Like the one that had all three of us catching Sahaqiel," said Shinji.

"Or the rescue plan to save Shinji from Leliel," Asuka said without thinking.

"There was a rescue plan?" Shinji asked a little confused. He'd never really been told about it if there was one.

Asuka froze. By mutual consent everyone had agreed to never mention the rescue plan in front of Shinji. If he knew they'd been prepared to sacrifice him…

Asuka narrowed her eyes and stormed off. She did not like being humiliated, especially in a way that no one else understood.

Rei set off, Custom Positron Rifle put over her shoulder. Touji gathered up his weapons in both hands and followed, still wondering about the plan.

This left Shinji alone, wondering about some kind of a rescue plan. 'Wait a sec,' he thought, remembering, 'it doesn't matter. We've got a battle to fight.' He set off after the others, leaving the carriers alone.

* * *

The Angels had picked a pristine location for their resurrection of their father. The stood around in a loose group, waiting for the resurrection to really begin. 

They'd placed Adam in the same place he'd been destroyed, a necessary part of the resurrection, and had begun pouring large amounts of energy into him. It was only a matter of time until he was revived.

The loose group was, quite frankly, out in the open. They were in the middle of large tundra, mountains of ice crushed upwards about a mile away from them. In other words they were in the middle of a wide canyon, with the mountains just the right distance away.

This was a wide canyon. Probable about three miles wide, and about six miles long. The mountain ranges were not excessively tall, but were steep. This would make it difficult for any target to escape the area.

In other words snipers dream.

Maybe that was what had killed Adam the first time.

* * *

Rei picked her spot. It was at one end of the canyon, allowing her sights to cover the whole thing. She was slightly elevated, so as to be able to shoot down on her targets. It was very nearly perfect. 

The only real weakness was the color. Nearly everything in the area was white. From ice to snow it was all white. Unit 04 was silver. Silver that blended in alright, but not perfect.

Asuka took a position to Rei's right, ready to sweep in and block any movement to the right. Shinji took to the left and Touji armed his first rocket somewhere behind Rei. The ambush was prepared.

Rei took aim on her first target, Ramiel. He had to be taken out in order to stop any returning sniper fire. Ramiel was near the back of the group, an easy target. Rei did not fire.

She then took aim on her second target, Arael. He had to be taken out in order to stop a potential mind rape. The psychic attack he had done on Asuka could potentially render any Evangelion inactive. Arael was floating above the other angels, but facing obviously downwards. This time he was in range. Rei did not fire.

She moved back and forth between her two primary targets. Each time she would aim the shot at Ramiel quickly and precisely, before switching to target Arael.

She did nothing but this for over a minute. Then, when she was satisfied that she would be able to hit both of them quickly, she checked the rifle one last time.

The chord going from the rifle into Unit 04s shoulder was secured. Power would not be a problem. The sight was secured to the rifle well. The barrel had been replaced with an appropriate one. It was ready.

Asuka crouched on the right, shotgun clenched in her arms. As soon as Rei fired Asuka would be going in. She would be in position in only a few seconds.

Shinji checked the palette rifle one last time. The extra clips and pistol were secured to his left shoulder pylon, his progressive knife being in the right one. When Rei shot he would move. But first he needed last communication. "Avoid Leliel," he said, "and me and Asuka will have to take Israfel out eventually. Avoid both of them otherwise." There was only three whispers to acknowledge that he had spoken and been understood.

Touji had the RPG prepared, spear attachment ready to be placed on to replace the missile in an instant. When Rei fired he planned to follow Shinji, covering as he could with the rocket.

Rei finished checking the rifle and casually placed it back on the ridge. She inhaled, fired, and exhaled.

* * *

Ramiel had the greatest detection radius of all the Angels. It was able to detect the heat and energy released from the Custom Positron Rifle almost immediately. Ramiel was also able to recognize the shot for what it was. 

After all, it had been destroyed by the same thing last time.

Unfortunately for Ramiel it was not pointed straight into the blast. Rei's position had made it so Ramiel would not be split from end to end. It also would not be able to intercept the blast.

Ramiel threw up her AT-field for an instant, but the shot broke through. It connected with her blue exterior and began melting towards her core.

* * *

Rei had already fired again.

* * *

Arael had only the brief realization that Ramiel was hit before he could feel another one coming. It was aimed straight at him, as so many shots had been aimed at him before his first death. 

But now he wasn't thousands of feet up into the sky, being protected by distance. Now all he had was his meager AT-field. It was not going to stop it.

Arael managed to shift slightly so the shot did not decapitate him. He fell to the ground, landing on Armisael and Sahaqiel. They were momentarily flattened under Arael.

The Angels fanned out into a circle so that they were protecting their fallen brother and sister, and Adam.

* * *

Rei targeted Zeruel next. She sent a burning blast of heat straight towards were he had taken up position.

* * *

This time they all felt it coming. That gave them the chance to do something about it. 

More then one AT-field blocked the shot this time. It was dissipated with no effect.

Zeruel, who had almost been killed, followed the path of the shot back to where Rei was hiding. He returned fire.

* * *

Rei rolled out of her position and began sliding down the ice range she had been camping on. Behind her cross-shaped blasts vaporized were she had been. She checked her NAV markers on the others. 

Asuka was beginning to close in on them from the right. She would be ready to meet them should they decide to go in that direction.

Shinji had the left in a similar fashion, but with Touji a little bit further away from Rei. Touji would not be able to take one side alone and he knew that. Therefore he'd decided to stay close to Shinji. Good.

Rei reached the bottom of her slide and stood.

Nothing happened.

She gritted her teeth and moved forward.

* * *

It had always been assumed by the Evangelion pilots that when Rei began firing the Angels would move. It hadn't occurred to them that they might just camp on Adam. 

This was bad. If the Angels remained like they were Adam would be reborn without any sort of further complications.

Rei finished briefing the others on the above. There was a pause for a moment before Asuka responded. "Then we'll just have to give them something to come out for," she said.

Rei agreed. Shinji nodded on screen and Touji followed the recommendations of the more experienced pilots.

They headed out into the open.

Unit 02 was the first to come forward. It simply walked out into the Angel perimeter, shotgun thrown over its shoulder. It was ready to fight these things and its pilot was pissed. She'd wanted to be the one to get Arael this time.

The Angels fixated on it for a second, as if preparing to destroy it in its stupidity. Before they could Unit 04 came into their line of sight, sniper rifle held with two hands in front of it, barrel sloping slightly. A few turned to look at it. By now Armisael and Sahaqiel were out from under Arael and were targeting the sniper. Being crushed made them pissed.

It was the third and fourth arrivals that startled the Angels the most. Unit 01 they had destroyed, yet here it was, smiling its insane grin at them. Their brother Tabris arriving, in a heavily modified body, was also strange.

Sachiel cocked his head as if trying to communicate. He looked straight at Touji's unit. Inside Touji cringed slightly.

* * *

_Tabris? Tabris? Why aren't you answering?_

_He's not answering because he's not in there, Sachiel._

_They killed him_

_And took his body…_

_They will pay for this_

_And the resurrection of the other one as well_

_Yes, for resurrecting that imitation of father.

* * *

_

Angels cannot show anger like humans can. Only a few of them have any faces at all, therefore a scowl was usually impossible. Those few with faces did scowl, but the others had to show their anger in different ways. Different ways as in attacking blindly.

Sachiel, Zeruel, and Shamshel went after Shinji. That was the only real chance he got to see of what happened. Immediately he was in a fight for his life.

Shinji ducked Sachiel's beam attack, and then had to dive out of the way to avoid Zeruel's. He rolled, came up, and found Zeruel attacking him with his paper-thin arms. They made short jabs, already most of the way extended, so that Shinji had little time to react to them. He barely managed to dodge them, let alone stop them.

On instinct he turned around. Shamshel had taken up a position behind him, whip like blades of light ready to impale him if he'd waited just a second longer. Shinji went into another dive to his left. He came up ready this time.

Shamshel and Zeruel turned to face him, Sachiel coming in between them. 'Here we go again,' thought Shinji. Then they went again.

* * *

Touji fired another rocket at his opponent, who easily dodged the slow moving projectile with a front flip. 

Bardiel landed right in front of Touji, a grin on the sickly face of Unit 03. Touji swung the RPG launcher at him but Bardiel caught it in one elongated arm.

Touji threw a punch with his other arm but Bardiel caught that as well. Bardiel began to twist the arm in a sickening direction. Touji let out a soft cry of pain before he retaliated.

Bardiel blinked as he realized that Touji was no longer holding the RPG launcher. Then Touji slammed his fist into Bardiel's face. Bardiel did a back-flip this time. Touji recovered the RPG launcher and quickly reloaded it. He faced Bardiel again, this time a little bit more assured of his chances.

* * *

Asuka was just barely managing to keep away from Sandalphon's beam attack. She had learned quickly that while each shot was not very damaging, there were a shit load of them coming out of its face. 

'Plan Asuka!' she demanded of herself. She had Sandalphon, Israfel, and Gaghiel against her. 'You've beaten them all before!' she thought. Another part of her responded with, 'You didn't beat them all at once! And you had Shinji there for all three of them.'

She was not going to put up with that sort of defeatist bullshit in her own head! She flicked the shotgun around and drew a quick bead on Sandalphon. She fired a quick series of shots and kept moving, not even waiting to see if they connected. It wouldn't matter anyway; she'd long since realized that long range weapons were rarely useful against the Angels.

Her shots momentarily stopping Sandalphon, she turned to face Gaghiel and Israfel. The twisted form of an Evangelion that Gaghiel had taken had pointed claws and large fangs. Asuka was not about to let that stop her.

Gaghiel came at her first, swinging with a horizontal blow. Asuka ducked it and came up on the outside of Gaghiel's defenses. If it wasn't for Israfel, Gaghiel would've died right there.

Israfel entered with two attacks, a strike with its left and a sweep with its right. Asuka rolled to the right of the Angel and considered striking it. 'No,' she thought, 'it'll be more dangerous split.' She left it alone, choosing to go after the already re-prepared Gaghiel.

'Reflexes are through the roof,' Asuka thought happily as she engaged Gaghiel. She scored a hit with her shotgun at close range. The Angels spun around, now missing one of its arms.

Israfel tried to counter her again but she simply decided to jump over it. She landed on the other side of it, dropped her shotgun, and dropped onto her hands. She spun her feet around beneath her and kicked Israfel's feet out from under it. The Angel fell onto its side.

Asuka went after Gaghiel again. She caught its remaining hand when it attempted to strike her. She flipped her knife out and into her left hand and drove it into the Angels core. She licked her lips as the Angel exploded.

She turned back to Sandalphon.

* * *

Rei's shot was right on. It tore Sahaqiel's AT-field into pieces and damaged its shoulder. 

The lumbering Evan form Sahaqiel had taken was useless. The only advantage it had was speed, and that had just meant that Rei and it had broken away from Armisael and Matariel.

Or had they? Rei felt as much as saw the shadow cover her. She looked up, bringing the sights with her.

Even as her shot tore through Materials weak AT-field the acid landed on her. It ate through the Custom Positron Rifle mostly, destroying her primary weapon. Some also landed on her legs and head. Robertus complained as Rei moved out from under the corpse of Matariel.

The spider's head landed were she had been only a second before. Rei turned again to look at Sahaqiel. Apparently Matariel was not the only Angel to have caught up. Armisael was with Sahaqiel, and they were coming on fast.

Rei spread her Eva's legs apart and drew her progressive knife. She stretched out her arms, putting the blade in her left palm, with the handle in her right. She was as prepared as she was going to get.

Sahaqiel came on her right, Armisael on her left. She swung…

* * *

Asuka kicked her foot up high. It connected with Sandalphon's face and sent the floating Angel sprawling backwards. Asuka turned around in midair to face Israfel. The Angel stabbed both its arms straight out into Asuka's shoulders. 

She dropped her shoulders, eliminating most of the impact, and backhanded Israfel in the face with both hands. She looped her arms around and joined them above her head. She slammed them downwards into Israfel's neck, breaking it.

Asuka landed and dusted her Evangelion off. Israfel slammed into the ground and began to regenerate its neck tissue. Sandalphon struggled to get up. Asuka approached it, shoulders aching slightly.

She picked up her shotgun on route to Sandalphon. 'Who should I help next?' she thought. Touji was only facing one and would be the easiest to free from battle. Rei seemed to be doing fine against hers; Asuka could see her finishing off Sahaqiel a little ways off. Shinji appeared to be in trouble against his three. 'Baka,' Asuka thought, 'he's the best out of all of us? Yeah right, can't even see what's going on around him.

Asuka had reached Sandalphon when the air suddenly seemed to grow heavier. 'I've felt this before,' she thought, 'but….ow shit!'

She raised the shotgun to aim at the bi-colored Angel floating above her. Already she could feel it would not matter. 'The bullets will pass right through it,' she thought. They did.

The ground grew stickier and heavier. Asuka felt herself begin to sink. "Help!" she shouted, a miracle in and of itself, "Somebody help me!"

* * *

Shinji was to busy fighting to even think. He had to move at precise times or be absolutely destroyed by Sachiel, Zeruel, and Shamshel. Asuka's cry didn't even touch his ears or eyes.

* * *

Touji was scrambling to get another rocket off. He heard Asuka's cry and managed to at least turn to look. He saw her underneath Leliel but did not realize what it would mean. 'Asuka can take care of herself,' he thought. Another part of him screamed, 'You moron! Then why's she yelling for help?'

* * *

Rei was the only other pilot in any position to do anything. She turned and started sprinting for Asuka's position. Armisael began to trail after her. 

As Rei ran she calculated. Within five seconds she knew that she would not make it.

* * *

"Shinji! Touji! Rei!" Asuka screamed as she struggled, "Help me!" she reached out her hand as her head went under the black wall of no return.

* * *

His name got Shinji's attention. He paused for a moment in his battle to see what Asuka was yelling about. He ran backwards to put some space between himself and his opponents and hazarded a glance towards Asuka's position. 

Or former position.

His brain collapsed inwards as he saw the last piece of her hand enter the Sea of Dirac. Blood vessels in his eyes exploded. He had flashbacks.

'You're last few hours with her,' his brain thought, 'You argued with her. You let her die, knowing that you were angry with her.'

His thoughts swam and began to suffocate. 'Asuka,' his mind thought at a snails pace, 'she's…. gone.'

* * *

His first kiss. 

Synch training.

Piloting with her.

Saving her in the volcano.

Her screams as Arael raped her mind, the helplessness he'd felt.

Her coma-like existence towards the end of the first wave.

Trying to talk to her at the hotel after the Tabri attack.

The look in her eyes when he finally saw her in Australia.

Her defiance right before Michel had taken her body away from her.

The cave with Tabris' body, stopping her from attacking Kowaru.

Arguing with her, thinking he hated what she thought about war.

Pain.

* * *

Shinji snapped and left. Unit 01 came in his place. 

"Asuka!" echoed around the whole Antarctic continent. Unit 01 leaned back its head and roared in a way that only it could.

Unit 01 lowered its head and hunched over in an animal like posture. It held its knife in a loose, backhanded way. It was ready to spill blood.

It charged.

Rei stopped her mad rush towards were Asuka had been. She paused for a moment, staring into the inky blackness.

Sandalphon's body had sunk into the deep as well now. Nearby Israfel was beginning to stand up again, its neck regenerated.

Rei whipped around to face the still charging form of Armisael and Unit 00. Before the Angel could react Rei had planted her arm so as to catch it in the throat. They collided and struggled.

Rei kept it at arms length as she made her decision. It seemed very far away that Shinji was roaring and making battle upon the other Angels. Rei closed her eyes in serenity.

She flipped Armisael and herself into the Sea of Dirac. They began to sink almost immediately. Leliel watched passively as Armisael began to thrash around in its death throes. Rei simply waited for her to be emptied into the infinite darkness below.

Shinji was beyond caring at anything. He headlong charged into the reach of Shamshel, Zeruel, and Sachiel. The Angels were momentarily caught off guard at the speed and ferocity of the charge.

Not only was Unit 01 fully berserk now, its "restraints" were completely removed. It was fighting at its maximum potential power level. That pretty much sucked for the Angels.

Shamshel's tentacles had long since been unfolded to maximum length. This meant that it had the longest reach it could get. It also meant that if anything got too close Shamshel would most likely not be able to pull them in fast enough.

Such was the case. Unit 01 went in through the tentacles and gutted Shamshel with an effortless stroke of its hand. Shamshel ceased to be.

Zeruel was very similar to Shamshel in the fact that they both had whip-like appendages. It also meant they had similar weaknesses. Unit 01 was breathing raggedly after such a quick action as two kills, but it was far from exhausted.

Israfel, having its opponent gone, rushed to join Sachiel. 'Two on one now?' the berserk part of Shinji's mind echoed, 'easier then before.'

The berserker did not think of the consequences. It just split Israfel down the middle. It turned back to face Sachiel, not realizing that it had just fallen into a trap.

* * *

Touji's eyes were stained with the beginnings of tears. He hadn't realized what that zebra ball could do, and now Asuka and Rei were gone. He had never really liked either one of them, but was not happy to see them go. 

His next shot missed Bardiel by a good 100-meters. Bardiel snorted and began to walk towards Touji at a casual pace. Its smile disappeared when the ground beneath it began to crack and collapse. Bardiel was dumped into the freezing water below.

Touji turned and began to walk to where Shinji was fighting, intent on helping his friend so as not to see him die as well. However, Bardiel was not done yet.

Only a few tens of seconds after he had fallen into the water he was free. Touji turned to face him again, anger clearly written on his face.

They locked in battle once more.

* * *

Rei kept all of her systems running, including her exterior lights. Her s2 organ would allow her to continue to have power for an eternal amount of time. 

She didn't have that long. If she was trapped in here for a few weeks she thought for sure she'd go insane. The blackness outside was unabated by everything.

All systems reported nothing. Rei could see nothing outside, despite the fact that her lights were on. She should've been able to see the light coming from them, but even that was blocked out.

She could not see anything … smell and taste would be useless, even if they did work. That left feeling and hearing. Perhaps the radio would work?

"Calling Pilot Soryu," Rei said on all channels. Only static greeted her. Rei gritted her teeth in uneasiness. She flipped on the external speakers and tried those.

At first there was nothing. Sound must have something to bounce off of to get back to the sender. Therefore, when Rei heard the sound from her speakers in the cockpit she knew that it must have bounced off of something.

"Rei?" it was only a whispered word, as it if was across a great distance.

"Yes," she said externally, "I can hear you, but just barely."

"Same here," came back across the void.

"Pilot Soryu, we must get out of here. I find the darkness very depressing and I fear for both of our sanity if we remain here."

There was a pause before Asuka responded. "I have an idea."

"Please try it, if it will get us out of here."

"I'm going to try to wake up Logani."

"That may cause you to lose power."

Another pause. "It's the only thing we can do, isn't it?"

"I suppose…" Rei said.

Inside Asuka's plug the infinite sign that had represented her power supply switched to a five minute countdown. She hastily powered down most of her systems so that only her external speakers and listeners were running. Logani was waking up.

"Ladies," he said calmly, "want to tell me were we are?"

"Sea of Dirac inside Leliel," Asuka reported quickly. "We need a way out of here."

Logani looked over the outside of Unit 02. "This thing isn't going anywhere," he said calmly.

"Don't tell me there's no way out of here," Asuka said angrily, "Shinji got out and so can we."

"You misunderstood," he said, "Unit 02 needs to be vacated because it isn't going anywhere. It's way to damaged and I don't think I can power it again from in here."

"How did I get damaged?" Asuka demanded.

"Leliel made a few modifications to this new body," Logani said, "Including a few maggots out here that are already burrowing into Unit 02. We need to get out of here before you get digested."

Asuka threw up in her plug, not for the first time, and ejected it. Logani latched onto it and used his AT-field to pull himself and the plug to Unit 04. "Grab us Rei," he said. She did.

Logani turned back in the direction of Unit 02 and pointed his finger at it. "Sorry Asuka, no digestion systems. Just needed a bomb to flush this toilet," he apologized.

"What!"

Unit 02 exploded and ripped a hole in the fabric of space. Unit 04 was pulled downwards into the rip, clutching Unit 02s plug and Logani.

* * *

Leliel trembled. _Not again._

Unit 04 was literally dropped out of the bottom of the sphere. Leliel dissipated in an instant, simply fading from existence this time.

Rei trembled and shakily got Unit 04 to its feet. She turned and saw that they were not the only ones to have been dropped out of the hole. Sandalphon and Armisael had fallen as well. Sandalphon had a large hole were its core should've been, destroyed by Unit 02s detonation. Armisael would've made it to its feet if Rei hadn't stabbed it through the face and then broken its core.

They were free.

* * *

Unit 01 looked up from its fighting and its pilot regained a measure of control and sanity. Rei and Asuka were alive and well. 

'They escaped,' his mind could barely realize it. He only had a moment to look at them before Sachiel and the two Israfel's engaged him again.

He heard the shot though.

He ripped around to look at what he'd thought was the wreck of Ramiel.

It was no wreck.

* * *

Rei put up Unit 04's AT-field in an instant. It was just that that wasn't strong enough. 

Logani's and Rei's own AT-field materialized and managed to stop it. Asuka's jaw dropped. "You can use those like that?" she asked.

"Of course," Logani said.

Ramiel fired shot after shot. Rei was pinned down and not going anywhere.

That made her an easy target for her secondary target.

A feint trickle of light shot out of Arael. Asuka gasped as she prepared to witness her nightmare once more.

But it wasn't Asuka that felt it. It was Arael's nearly two time killer, Rei.

* * *

Conception in a tube. 

No mother, no father.

No happiness, no caring.

Following Gendo Ikari everywhere, trying to prove herself to him.

Death by the old hag.

Reconception in the second body.

Fighting the Angels.

Reconception in the third body.

Meeting Shinji, Asuka, and Misato for what felt like the first time.

The death of her sisters.

Killing the Tabri of Empathy and Irony.

The Death of Gendo Ikari, unpossesion of the third body.

Repossession of the third body.

Going after Asuka in the Sea of Dirac.

Having her mind raped.

* * *

Rei did not feel a great amount of pain; she had few secrets for Arael to reveal to her. She had few memories of her past two lives. All she missed was the ability to move. 

Arael had frozen her. She could not stop the giant of white from coming to take her.

"Mother," Rei wept as Lilith approached.

Logani swore and broke open Unit 02s plug. He pulled a protesting Asuka out of the seat and raced to the back of Unit 04. He climbed down the back and smashed the plug out.

He didn't have the leverage to pull, so all he could do was punch it. It went out the front, breaking the core and freeing Robertus' soul. Parachutes deployed off of the plug as it crashed into the ground.

Logani, still holding Asuka, jumped off of Unit 04 as Lilith began to bash it to pieces. He landed hard, breaking a few bones in his leg. He used the other one to reach Rei's plug. He pushed his AT-field to heal his broken leg as he ran.

Rei was already out and starting to run. Logani followed her across the frozen landscape, searching for a place to wait the battle out.

* * *

Shinji gritted his teeth. He'd sensed Logani rescuing Rei and Asuka. It was good that they were alive, but bad that Unit 04 and Unit 02 were both gone. 

He could only take on so many of them, even most of the way berserk. Touji was still having trouble with Bardiel…

'Some of these Angels need to be eliminated,' he thought.

Bardiel, Sachiel, Israfel, Ramiel, Arael, and Lilith were the only ones left. Less then half were still alive. 'If Touji can keep Bardiel busy,' he thought, 'I can finish off a few of these and then help him.' It was a plan.

He dodged a blow from Sachiel and moved past the Angel. His target, Lilith, was far enough away that none of the others would be able to interfere fast enough.

He was on her in an instant. He jumped, landed on her shoulders, and reached for her eyes. Lilith tried to fend him off but was just to slow. Shinji clawed her eyes out and jumped off of her. She fell.

Ramiel sent a shot out after him but he was already moving to her. Ramiel kept shooting though and drove Shinji away. As he was running Shinji felt something else lock onto him.

Arael was launching another psychic assault, and this time his target was Shinji.

But the berserker would not be stopped. Even as Arael shuffled through his memories Shinji got closer and closer to him.

Something as fickle as Shinji's past was not going to stop him from killing these Angels. Shinji reached Arael and was prepared to give the death blow when Ramiel fired again.

Shinji dodged it and ducked behind Arael. He reached again for the kill. Ramiel shot again. Unit 01 smiled and simply jumped out of the way. Arael was vaporized in the path of the shot.

Shinji hit the ground running. He crossed to Ramiel and slid close to the cannon. Now Ramiel was at the wrong angle to hit Shinji. It turned but Shinji turned with it. Unit 01 smiled sickly at the distressed Angel. In frustration Ramiel self-destructed.

* * *

Touji and the remaining Angels stopped to watch the explosion. "Oh," Touji said weakly, "oh shit." He looked over at Bardiel. So far all he'd been able to do was get the Angel a little wet. 

'Come on Touji!' he thought, 'You can beat this asshole!'

Bardiel turned back to him, another one of those sick smiles on his face, and charged. Touji countered with his spear attachment but was knocked down. Bardiel and Unit 16 rolled around on the ground, each vying for the upper hand.

* * *

Shinji climbed out of the water and turned to look at the smoke cloud left by Ramiel's explosion. He, and Unit 01, both spit. That water was cold. 

Shinji turned away from the explosion and found himself already under attack again. The Israfel's and Sachiel were practically on top of him already. He put up a hand to protect himself…

…and Sachiel grabbed it and stabbed his harpoon into it. Unit 01 roared and threw Sachiel off. The three angels facing Shinji backed off momentarily.

Shinji nursed his wounded hand. 'What to do?' he though, 'Asuka's gone. No way Touji will know the synch dance…I have to kill Israfel alone now.' Plans formed in his head. They revolved, more then a little, around Unit 04's knife. It had fallen not far behind where Sachiel was standing.

In a not so rare moment of insanity Shinji chose to charge the middle of the group. Sachiel and the Israfel's on either side of him were surprised by it, to say the least.

Shinji shoulder plowed Sachiel and kept going. The Israfel's were not going to let him escape easily though. Each of them raked his sides with their claws. Inside the entry plug Shinji let out a cry of agony and dove forward.

Sachiel managed to stand up and turn to face Shinji. The Israfel's were already closing on Shinji. He was chest down, arms out-stretched as if reaching for something.

When one of the Israfel's was just about to step onto Shinji's back he moved into action. He used, his own and Rei's, the knives to pull himself forward. He turned the momentum into a roll and pushed off upwards into a jump.

In mid-air he turned and took aim. He threw both of the knives at the same precise moment, sending them on identical paths to the cores of the Israfels.

They reacted in the same way, reaching for the knives, having their fingers sliced off and clutching the knives as the penetrated their cores. They fell in the same way.

Sachiel took a step backwards when Unit 01 landed, smiling.

* * *

Touji finally figured out a way to kill Bardiel. 

He'd forgotten he'd been carrying it the whole time, strapped to his left shoulder pylon. As soon as he had a brief moment away from Bardiel he pulled it loose and tossed it up and down in his hand.

He smiled, thinking of what it would do. Bardiel watched him wearily, not understanding what the napalm grenade was capable of.

Finally Touji pulled the pin and tossed it loosely at Bardiel. Bardiel caught it and starred at it calmly. He turned to look at Touji and then took his arm back as if to throw it back.

'What's he think we're playing here?' thought Touji, amused, 'A game of catch?' He made his unit smile right before the detonation.

The fire consumed Bardiel, who died in screaming agony. Touji dusted off his hands and turned to look out at the battle field. Very far away he could just make out the shape of Unit 01 fighting one last angel. "Only one left?" he said, disappointed. He hurried to where Shinji was fighting Sachiel.

* * *

Logani finally put Asuka down when they were half-way up the ice range. She crossed her hands beneath her breasts and glared murder at him. "You blow up my unit and then cart me all the way up here!" she yelled, "Can you even give me one reason why I shouldn't disembowel you on the spot!" 

Logani walked over to the edge of the little terrace he'd chosen to stop on and looked down across the frozen plains. His answer was long in coming as he studied the battle scene. "Because you can't," he finally answered. Asuka gritted her teeth and lay down on a frozen boulder.

Rei joined them shortly, having reconed the area for possible problems. If she found any she didn't report them. She looked at Asuka, looked at Logani, and sat down cross-legged so that the three of them formed a triangle. "How is the battle?" she asked.

Logani thrust his hands into his pockets to warm them before he replied. "Looks like we may have it won," was his answer.

Rei gave a small smile. Asuka gave a soft, "Umph," and tried to see over the edge of the terrace from where she sat.

Below them Shinji and Sachiel still dueled. But Shinji had the ever closing advantage of Touji.

It would be over soon. The only real threat left was the little hand of the former Gendo Ikari, floating ever higher, ever slowly. But no one saw that. Not even you.

* * *

Shinji flipped Sachiel over him and attempted another killing blow, only to have it nearly reversed on him as Sachiel extended one of its harpoons. Shinji was forced to fall back slightly. 

Shinji prepared himself for another go, but then realized that he might not need it. He made Unit 01 stand up and point over Sachiel's shoulder. The last remaining Angel looked over its shoulder.

Touji was still quite a distance away. He was ever growing closer, but was not here yet. Sachiel turned back to Unit 01, wondering why it had pointed.

Unit 01 cut Sachiel in half at the waist. Shinji began cleaning the destroyed organs off his knife even before Sachiel had hit the ground. 'Oldest trick in the book,' he thought. Shinji looked across the arctic wasteland, eyes searching for something. Finally he found it.

Touji slowed down when he saw Shinji finish off the last one. He approached him slowly; he'd heard a lot of stories about berserkers before. He did not want Shinji to mistake him as an Angel. Not at all.

"Shinji?" he asked hesitantly. There was no answer, Unit 01 just walked over to a patch of ice and reached into it.

"Shinji? You okay man?" Touji said. 'Perhaps seeing the girls killed was too much for him,' he thought.

Shinji withdrew Unit 01s hand, palette rifle clutched in its right hand. He reached his other hand in and grabbed the pistol in his left hand. Mechanically, he checked both guns for ammunition and damage. His knife was stored his shoulder pylon on impulse, his body already checked for damage. Unit 01 had long since regenerated any damage it had received.

Just as Touji was about to call out again, Shinji turned and replied. "Yeah Touji, I'm here," he said, voice calm as death.

"Glad to hear it. Bad luck with the girls man…" he trailed off.

Shinji shook his head. "They're okay. Unit 04 escaped Leliel and I think I saw Logani and Asuka with it. They're alive, I can feel it," he said confidently.

"Okay," Touji said, half overjoyed, half doubting his friend's sanity, "then what do we do now?"

"Something's bugging me," Shinji said, his voice beginning to show a glimmer of doubt, "but I can't figure it out. I mean, the Angels are all dead but we're still missing something here. I just can't put my finger on it."

As if to validate his words a gust of arctic wind blew in. "Storms coming," Touji said absent-mindedly. Shinji had seen more then just the wind though; he'd seen a much larger movement.

He turned to look at Sachiel's fallen corpse. The wind had moved it, Shinji would swear. But something of that size would need a great force to move.

The wind blew in again, this time strong enough to make Unit 16 tremble slightly. From his own unit Shinji saw Touji's shudder from the wind. 'No,' Shinji realized, 'if it was just wind I'd have been pulled by it too.'

The wind blew in again, but this time it did not abate. It was as if some great monster was slowly awakening. 'But all the monsters are dead,' Shinji thought.

No.

'Shit,' Shinji realized what he'd been missing. Puzzle pieces fell together in a wave. "Touji, eject your plug and get out of here, Logani will find you. Do it now. Adam is coming back."

Touji's jaw dropped as he realized that Shinji was right. He opened the exit to his plug and began climbing down the super structure. It was one long climb though…

Shinji set out towards were the Angels had been waiting.

* * *

"Shit!" Logani cursed, "Stay here until I get back!" Then he was gone, practically jumping off of the cliff. Asuka and Rei were both left to blink and stare at each other in confusion. The wind seemed to bite both of them harder right then.

* * *

Shinji was not going to make it. He reached the peak of another snow covered dune and saw only more spread out in front of him. 'These weren't here before,' he thought, 'Adam's trying to slow me down. He's trying to buy himself time to resurrect fully.' 

Shinji saw something, two some things fly past him on his left. 'Sachiel?' he recognized briefly. Soon another form followed the first. This one Shinji recognized as Unit 16. 'He's drawing the flesh of all his children to him,' he thought.

Shinji was struck with a hideous fit of coughing then. Eight, short, fast, coughs.

* * *

Touji had had to plummet the last twenty feet to the ground. He'd felt Unit 16 giving way beneath him as he climbed and just decided to jump the end of it. 

If he'd waited much longer he would have been pulled along with his unit. As it was he was under nearly twenty feet of snow after the fall. It kept him out of the cold though.

He put off his one sneeze to the cold that still permeated down to his level.

* * *

Asuka and Rei sneezed three times apiece, at roughly the same time. Afterwards each of them eyed the other wearily. "God bless you," was said by both, albeit in a slower much more confused way. 

Neither girl could figure out if she was being mocked by the other.

* * *

Logani struggled to keep it in but at the end it was to no avail. As he ran towards were Touji had last been seen he thought, 'Good riddance Ireul.' At last he was rid of the eleventh Angel completely. 

He skipped over the snow towards Touji, speed maximized in the blizzard.

* * *

Shinji reached the peak of the last snow-hill and looked down. Adam was floating in the air, body in a fetal position. 

Even as Shinji began his descent Adam opened his eyes and raged.

He raged at the undying light within himself.

* * *

The initial shockwave flattened everyone within a hundred miles. Snow was melted in great waves and the continent of Antarctica began to decay once more. Unit 01 was thrown backwards and temporarily lost in the suddenly created sea. 

Logani managed to shield himself and Touji, who he had barely managed to reach in time, from the great tidal waves emanating from Adam's position.

Rei threw up her AT-field beneath herself and Asuka, keeping them from falling with the ice range they'd been sitting on. Asuka used her field to protect herself and Rei from the sudden blast of air that shot out across the continent.

If one was in space, orbiting the planet Earth, one would see a small shockwave generated on the southern most continent. Next, one would see the loss of a great amount of white from that continental area.

Adam stood triumphant, for the moment.

* * *

**One half-hour past first detonation**

Logani flew himself and Touji up to where Rei and Asuka were waiting. Rei extended her AT-field to give them room to land and sit.

Staying alive had taken the better part of Logani's life. He was beyond exhaustion and had had to rest for awhile before he'd even considered flying himself and Touji up here on his AT-field.

"Any sign of him?" Logani asked after he finished panting.

"I haven't seen Shinji," Asuka said.

At the same time Rei said, "Adam has not moved from his position."

Neither girl even bothered to look at the other. Touji quirked an eyebrow though. Logani noticed that all the water had already evaporated, leaving barren rock below them.

"Wait," Asuka said, eyeing a moving boulder. The boulder broke and the unmistakable form of Unit 01 climbed free of the Earth's embrace once more. "That's him," Asuka whispered.

Shinji stood Unit 01 up and began walking towards Adam slowly. "He doesn't stand a chance," Logani said quietly. No one bothered to respond.

After that show of force, who would?

* * *

The palette rifle and the pistol were both gone, lost in the tumble after the impact. Shinji drew his progressive knife, hoping it would be enough to kill Adam. 'If its not then I'm already screwed,' he thought, 'But dammit I'll try anyway!' 

Adam took notice of his advance. He lowered himself to the ground and began walking towards Shinji slowly. His steps were slow and lumbering. The Earth cracked with each footfall, and where there had been a footprint the Earth rotted.

Finally, Adam and its pale imitation were face to face for real. Both stopped and starred the other down, Unit 01s eyes being slightly damaged by looking into such a high concentration of light. Shinji chose to ignore the pain.

Adam moved in a flash, Shinji brought up his left hand to block the first blow. His hand swept the arm out of the way and both Adam and Shinji stayed still for a moment.

Then Shinji felt pain in his arm. A quick check revealed that Adam's body was eating through Shinji's arm. The momentary distraction was all Adam needed.

Adam's other arm knocked Shinji in the chest, sending him flying. The connection with the Earth hurt almost as much as the initial impact. Almost…

Shinji pulled himself up quickly, berserker senses taking control. Unit 01s arm began to heal itself at a faster rate, but not fast enough.

Adam came at him again. But this time Shinji had a little bit longer to prepare, Adam having to cover a greater distance. Shinji stabbed out with his progressive knife, hoping to force Adam into it.

Adam simply ceased to be in the path of the knife. He moved around it and came around behind Shinji. Unit 01 tried to turn, but was not fast enough. Shinji's straight attack had thrown it off balance. Adam landed a solid kick in Shinji's back.

Shinji flew through the air once more. This time the pain from hitting the ground, face first, was more then the initial hit. He struggled to stand.

* * *

"He's not going to win," Rei said flatly. 

"Their never was much chance," Logani said calmly, "The original plan was to stop Adam's resurrection. There was never any thought of actually killing Adam."

Below, the battle continued.

* * *

Shinji stood again. Warily he looked Adam over. The giant was much faster then his size entailed. He was also simply hard to look at, the reflection of light bringing tears to Shinji's eyes after only a short gaze. 

'Unit 01 is based off of this thing,' he thought, 'I should be stronger, and faster. I should be able to beat him.'

Shinji set himself with his blade in his left palm, the handle in his right. This would allow him to react to whatever Adam tried next.

Adam came at him again. Shinji waited for him to get close before making his move. Thinking Shinji would strike, Adam dodged at what seemed to be the last possible second. But it wasn't.

Shinji had guessed, based on Adam's record that he would dodge as late as possible. This allowed Shinji to wait for the dodge, and then strike.

The blade went through up to the hilt. Adam roared and Shinji pulled downwards. The blade tore a giant scar through Adam before coming out near Adams leg.

But Adam healed fast. Like, really fast. Like, before Shinji had finished his cut, the beginning of the cut was healed. Adam calmly punched Shinji again and sent him sprawling backwards.

Shinji was lost in a buzz for a little longer this time.

* * *

"We have to do something!" demanded Asuka. 

"Like what?" spat Logani. "There's nothing that the four of us, even with Evangelions, could do to that thing. You saw how fast it healed,' he said, gesturing at Adam with a look of disgust on his face.

"We can't just take this lying down…" whispered Touji quietly.

* * *

Finally Shinji stood up again. He looked up and saw Adam inspecting his body. There were no cuts, no scars, and no damage at all. 'Impossible,' thought Shinji, 'he must have some weakness or he'd never have lost in the first place.' 

Even if Adam had healed from it quickly, he was pissed off at having been hurt. In his mind he decided to finish off humanity now, to not give them another chance. He did not like pain.

Adam stretched out his wings for the heavens.

* * *

If one was in space, orbiting the planet Earth, one would see a pair of giant wings of light reaching to hit them. The wings could be followed down to the Southern continent were, if one had some kind of magnification, one could see Adam launching his AT-field. 

Adam's AT-field spread out faster then anyone could possibly have tracked. Shinji threw up his right arm, and his own AT-field to try to block the attack.

For an instant, he saw his chance.

But then it was gone. Shinji's AT-field collapsed like a tent. The burning sensation he'd felt in his left hand earlier was amplified a thousand times over in his right. It burned off completely and then some.

Adam's second wave attack reached the shores of Antarctica. But no further. Adam was just warming up.

Rei's field gave in and all four NERV followers began to fall. It was only about twenty feet before Logani put his up and caught them. Still, it was frightening to find the ground simply gone from beneath you, even if it did come back.

The three pilots looked around at each other, their hearts caught in their throats. Their brains would catch up to them in a few minutes.

Logani just looked on, pessimistic in his last hour.

* * *

Shinji struggled up. His right arm was there. His whole body was there. 

It just felt like his right arm and chest were gone, his left knee broken, and his head leaking something. It just felt like that.

Nearly enough to drive anyone insane.

Shinji struggled up. 'It was there,' he thought. It made sense, the accumulation of everything he'd learned in recent months. It would be the answer to all of this.

He set himself, body badly broken and burned, for the next attack of Adam. But now he was confident.

Adam let out a deep breath and turned back to look at Shinji. It would be so simple to just reach out and kill him now…but it was beneath him. _Let him die with the rest of his kind._

The first two had been warm-ups. This one would be the real deal. It would be the obliteration of all life on Earth with the exception of one.

Adam.

He reached in and drew on his AT-field again. He set it free in all directions.

Shinji felt it coming. He sent out Unit 01's field to feel for it so he knew exactly where it was and when it would reach him. This would take perfect timing. Perfect, to the letter.

He snapped Unit 01's field in place in front of him. This would eliminate most of the damage that would be dealt in his area. More then halving what would happen to him without it.

Behind Unit 01's AT-field he placed his own. Nearly overlapping, close enough Adam would not see it until it was too late. It would eliminate almost all the rest of the damage.

First impact, Unit 01's AT-field broke. Second impact, Shinji's AT-field broke. Third impact, burned off what remained of Unit 01's skin.

But now Adam was defenseless. He had to concentrate on his AT-field elsewhere before he could even consider what to do next.

Shinji was within Adam's soul barrier, his AT-field. Shinji dashed forward. If he didn't hurry, Adam's AT-field would wipe the rest of the planet clean.

Shinji did not want to be left alone.

He had no knife; it had been dropped when his arm was destroyed. All he could do was stab forward with his left arm, hoping to hurt Adam enough to kill him before he could regenerate. He aimed for the center of the chest, needing to hit the core.

Impact.

Explosion.

Loss of consciousness.

Loss of life…

Imminent.

* * *

Well...two chapters left. 


	22. Niceterium

**Reign of the Tabri**

I wanted to show some forshadowing of this. But it never really happened...

Chapter 22: Niceterium

* * *

Rei's AT-field collapsed when Adam's final attack impacted on it. Logani's took its place before it too collapsed. In a last ditch effort to survive Asuka put hers out as well. When that broke they were truly screwed.

There was no immediate pain; their AT-fields stopped Adam's AT-field from killing them. It was just that they began falling. Disorientation hit them like a brick.

Logani struggled against the arctic wind. It was blowing all three of them around, causing separation. He wanted to stay as close to the others as he could.

Nevertheless they began to drift apart as they fell. Logani changed his struggle to a more internal one. He wrestled for his AT-field to be freed.

Beneath him Shinji was striking out at Adam. Detonation…

The shockwave hit Asuka, Rei, and Touji dead on. They were instantly unconscious, but had stopped falling.

Logani breathed a sigh of relief as his AT-field caught all four of them. He'd just managed to pull it free when Adam was killed, just in time to stop himself from being knocked unconscious. He walked towards the others, pulling them closer with his AT-field. He didn't want it that extended, not with all the strange things that had happened recently.

When his AT-field was the size of a small floor of a house, with the kids brought into it, he looked down.

The fallout had created a respectable crater, several miles wide. Logani could still see the heat from the explosion rising upwards. It stung his eyes slightly.

Then he saw it. It had been blocked out by a plume of smoke but it moved clear of it now. Unit 01 was alive, and moving.

Logani began lowering himself and the others without thinking. He was beyond exhaustion and needed rest. Shinji would be able to protect them or, better yet, get them back to the shuttles.

'All four of them made it,' he thought, 'and Shinji actually beat Adam.' He was truly amazed.

Then Unit 01 turned its gaze skyward. Logani stopped the descending and stared into its large yellow eyes, drawn open with force. Something tugged at his soul.

Unit 01 roared and punched its hand straight down into the ground. 'It's berserk,' Logani realized. He began lowering again, knowing he didn't have the strength to keep them air born much longer. Unit 01 turned back to starring upwards.

Logani felt agitated, as if being caught by someone who knows you're lying. Unit 01 seemed like a mother starring her child down. Unhappy, displeased with it.

It stayed that way. Logani continued to lower, yet Unit 01's gaze did not lower with him. 'It's not looking at me,' he thought, 'At least, not anymore.'

He decided it was deactivated. 'I'll have to get us out of here alone then,' he thought.

He reached the plug and ejected it. He lowered it to the ground with the other three pilots and landed. He cracked it open, fearing what he would find.

Shinji was asleep, resting gently in the embrace of the LCL. Logani pulled him out and set him next to the others. Logani sat on the edge of the plug and set his mind to work.

'Why did Unit 01 look like that?' he asked himself. He looked at Shinji, thinking hard on everything that would make Unit 01 unhappy with its child.

An idea began to surface in his head, but before it could get much further Shinji woke up. He opened his eyes and looked straight at Logani. "Consenesco," he said. His voice was strange, cracked and not seeming to be his own. Logani's eyes widened in obvious disbelief and understanding.

Then Shinji blinked, and seemed to return to being himself. He looked around in confusion. He saw Asuka, Touji, and Rei's bodies and let out a deep sigh. Then he turned back to look at Logani. "What?" he asked.

"H-how are you feeling?" Logani asked awkwardly.

"Fine," Shinji said, "Why?"

"Shinji, I-" Logani stopped when Asuka sat up and yawned.

"What happened?" she asked dreamily. She turned to look at Shinji, expecting an answer.

Logani simply sat and thought as Shinji explained to her, and Rei and Touji when they finally woke up.

He needed to do a lot of thinking on what to do about this.

* * *

They arrived back in Tokyo-3 riding one of the Evangelion carriers. They had only needed one to carry them. Unit 01 was the only Evangelion returning. Logani continued to think.

When they arrived they found the citizens of Tokyo-3 waiting. They shouted in joy when they saw the carrier coming in on the outside of the city. These citizens recognized their rescuer they saw it.

Asuka decided to land the carrier on the outside of the city, so as to give them an easy parade route down the thickest road in the city. She ushered everyone out of the carrier, leading with herself.

The citizens cheered as Asuka, followed by Shinji, Touji, Rei and finally they ever thinking Logani, walked down the street. Asuka was in her element, catching thrown flowers and waving to everyone.

Shinji and Touji gave more awkward smiles and waves. They were not below this; they just weren't used to being the center of attention. Considering it was Shinji, he did an amazingly good job.

Rei simply looked around at the happy throng of people. She did not understand why they were here, although she had heard of great parades after a military victory. She cocked an uneasy smile.

Logani ignored everyone, simply thinking in his head. The problem was beyond complex.

Finally, the parade ended on the other side of town. At the graveyard, were everyone who had died in Second Impact was buried. Shinji instinctively set off for were his Mother was buried. Asuka, Touji, and Rei made as if to follow him. Logani held them back, choosing to go himself.

"Hey!" Asuka shouted, "Why do you think you get to go after him when we don't!"

Logani ignored her and set off after Shinji, purpose entering his step. His eyes showed a great amount of fear. His palms were wet.

Shinji crouched in front of the headstone of his mother. He was so tired, he wanted just to sleep right there. The day's activities had beyond drained him.

"It's not time to lie down yet," Logani said quietly. Shinji spun to look at him.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Walk with me," Logani replied weakly.

They set off along one of the paths through the graves. At first Logani did not speak. Shinji opened his mouth to demand why Logani was making him walk aimlessly when Logani finally spoke. "Did you understand," he began, "how the Angels were able to possess your bodies?"

Shinji nodded slowly. "When we beat them, the first time, their souls were sealed inside of us," he said.

"Yes," Logani said, "they were waiting for someone, or something, to free them."

"Like Michel?" Shinji asked.

"Michel worked, obviously, but they had another way to escape."

"What?"

"If you'ddied."

Shinji stopped and looked at Logani. "If I'd died?" he asked.

Logani stopped a little further down the walkway and turned back to face Shinji. "Yes Shinji, if you'd died," he said.

"If I'd died all the Angels would've come back?"

"Just the ones you beat."

Shinji nodded calmly. "But that was last time," he said, waving it off insignificantly.

"Not entirely."

Shinji's eyebrows narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"This isn't the first time the Angels have been defeated," Logani said weakly, "Just the first time they were all killed at the same time."

"Stop feeding me bullshit Logani. Tell me why this matters, now."

Logani continued explaining, "One would just die, by a human with a gun or something. Almost always by surprise. Nothing they could really do to stop it, they had to save their real bodies in case they were ever needed."

Shinji listened on, transfixed by the speech.

"It didn't really matter though. Like I said, never more then a few of them were dead. Even then it didn't last. Eventually, the human who killed them would die, and the Angel would possess another body."

Shinji was missing the point of why all this mattered. His impatience flared again. "Why does it matter!" he demanded.

"Because, Shinji, now all the Angels are dead."

"So? I killed Adam, the Angels are gone. We have no problems."

"But we will Shinji. We will if, no when, you die. You won't live forever, humans never do."

Logani's words sunk into Shinji slowly. "You mean… when I die the Angels will come back?"

"Yes," Logani hissed, "All seventeen of them. When you beat Adam you received all of his children's souls, along with his own. Your death," he paused for emphasis, "could mean the destruction of the whole human race."

Shinji turned his head away from Logani. Tears welled up in his eyes and he looked at his hands, lifting them in front of him. "What should I do?" he asked weakly.

"You have two choices Shinji," Logani began, holding up his right hand palm up, "You could choose to stay alive. This will give you a chance at a normal life. You could go to school, get married, and have kids, whatever you want to do with your life. But you'll always have to worry about the Angels coming after whatever you leave behind. NERV would have to continue to exist, to give the future some sort of chance to survive. But even if the Angels get beat next time, by another pilot, that pilot will have to make the same choice as you."

Shinji nodded weakly, weighing the pros and cons of that choice. "And the other?" he asked.

Logani lifted up his left hand, palm up. "You can choose to die. I could kill you, right now, and take the Angel's souls into myself. Then I'd take Unit 01 and go out into the cosmos. I'm immortal Shinji. The Angels would never plague humanity again. But you'd have no life Shinji. Your life would end right here, right now."

Shinji considered this as well. "How do I know you aren't lying?" he asked, "How do I know you won't just free the Angels again?"

"Because then I'd just have killed you without asking you," he said, "I could do it and you know it. Now, left or right?"

Shinji nodded absent-mindedly. He put his fingers over his eyes and considered the options. He made up his mind after a long rest.

"I choose…."

* * *

I'd say cliff-hanger if I wasn't posting the two choices at the same time as this. First its life without Shinji, then with. Believe whatever you want to believe.

Niceterium means "Prize" or "Reward of victory"

Consenesco means "to lose ones strength", "to become old", or to "decay"


	23. An AT field to the center of trepidation

**Reign of the Tabri**

Warning: This is if Shinji choose to die. Remember, this is only one possibility.

Chapter 23: In the Left Hand Lay…

* * *

"…the left hand."

He felt nothing.

Logani made it clean, through the center. Shinji didn't even realize that it was coming.

Logani drank deeply from the souls that tried to flee Shinji's body. They had no warning; he simply captured them using his AT-field.

If they could get to no body they were weak.

But if they did…

Logani fled the scene. No one would be happy to find what had befallen here. There would be crying. There would be anger. There would be no finding of the killer.

Only speculation.

Logani used all of his power to get back to Unit 01 and its carrier. He stopped and looked up into the sad mother's eyes. She starred back at him before ejecting the plug.

Logani climbed in and powered Unit 01 up. "I'm sorry I didn't think of it sooner," he whispered to the soul of Yui Ikari. Unit 01 did not react.

The carrier powered up and took off. 'Thank you Gendo,' he thought sullenly, 'for including orbital rockets.' Soon he was hovering high above the city, then out of it, then blasting off for the great emptiness.

Logani, and all the Angels souls, left Earth forever.

* * *

They found the body within the hour. Asuka collapsed onto her knees and let out a scream of pure despair. Her tears fled her eyes, as if afraid of the sadness that lurked behind them.

Touji sank down next to her, eyes lost starring into nothingness. Asuka turned and wept into his shoulder, Touji did not notice, nor care.

Rei stared at the vivisected body for a long time. When she did finally break her gaze she took off, as if following some trail only she could see.

"Who would do this?" Asuka sobbed into Touji's shoulder.

"I don't know," whispered Touji, "But whoever it is, Rei will find them. And if she doesn't, I will. I swear it."

Asuka looked at him for a moment, and then turned back to her crying.

The authorities arrived shortly later. They were greeted by Touji shouting at them to put a cover over Shinji.

Or what was left of him.

* * *

She followed the trail to where it stopped, back at were Unit 01 had been. In the distance she could see a blast of fire, and feel something escaping Gaia's embrace.

"Logani," she spat, "Why?"

It was that question that would haunt Rei for the rest of her life.

She would search the Tabri enclaves in North America, the continent of Antarctica and all the NERV locations for why Logani had killed Shinji Ikari.

It would continue to haunt her until beyond her death.

* * *

She never completely got over it. After it became obvious that no one was going to pay for what had happened to Shinji she returned to Germany.

Once there she moved back in with her father and step-mother for a few months. After that… she left them in search of something else.

She wanted to find someone like him; someone who would care about her but needed her as well. Someone weak, but someone that she knew could call up inner strength when he needed it.

Someone who she could shape to take the place of Shinji Ikari.

But whenever she found someone like him she would become too caught up in remembering Shinji. She could not love someone unlike him, but she could not bear to be near anyone who acted like him.

It hurt her.

Not only had he stole her heart, he'd kept it with him when he left this world. She could therefore give it to no other.

Her life was long and pointlessly drawn out. Without Shinji she forgot all of her ideals, her beliefs. She never fought in a giant, uniting war. She never fought for anything again.

When Shinji died she'd wanted to lie down next to him and die there. But she'd forced herself to get back up.

When she really did lie down to die she wished that she had stayed next to Shinji then.

* * *

He had promises to keep.

He'd promised to bring back Hikari, somehow. He'd promised to find Shinji's killer, somehow.

He went to the University of Tokyo-3 and graduated with distinction. He went on to receive his master's degree in physics and logic. There really was a reason he was picked as the Third Child.

Hikari would've been proud.

Hikari, and Shinji, would not have been proud of what he did next.

He moved into a small apartment and, coordinating with Rei, began research on soul theory. He got a small payroll from the government, the rest came from illegal drug trafficking.

He needed lots of money for research, and bills didn't pay themselves. One day he just started doing it to cover his costs.

His soul theory got him little. A few new advances, just enough to stay on the payroll of the government.

Neighbors and friends would always comment on how he was wasting his life, trying to bring back two dead friends. He continued anyway, hoping to prove them wrong.

He nearly became Frankenstein.

The cops caught him drug smuggling only a few days before what he swore was going to be the greatest find in soul theory history.

The government let him practice his play art in prison. New guards and systems kept him from breaking free with his AT-field.

When Rei was questioned she would deny having communicated with him for years.

When he died it was as a beggar, having been freed from jail without any property or means to survive. It was of no consequence, he would be with Hikari soon…

* * *

He traveled in Unit 01 for an eternity. His mind was closed off from all thoughts. Thinking too long, in an environment like Unit 01's plug, would lead to insanity.

Or worse, a decision to return to Earth.

He never died, but never truly lived again.

Was that the price the heroes of NERV had to pay for their victory? Was this their prize?

Logani tried not to think about it.

Insanity would come for him eventually. He could only hope he was ready for when he truly lost his grip.

* * *

It came off almost as depressing as I wanted it to be. Next chapter is already up, if you want the happy ending. 


	24. Life Fearful

**Reign of the Tabri**

Warning: This is if Shinji had choosen to live. Happiness ensues.

Chapter 23: On the Right Hand

* * *

"… the right hand." 

Logani relaxed slightly and nodded. "I'll stay near you at all times," he said, "to prevent an untimely death."

Shinji removed his tears with a swipe of his hand. "Maybe," he said optimistically, "when I get old we can do it."

Logani nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe we can still stop the Angels from coming back and still let you live out your life," he said before turning to go.

"Where are you going?" Shinji asked.

"I'll always be close," Logani said, "We can never know if someone will try to kill you in some way. Celebrities are often assassinated in this day and age." Then he disappeared from Shinji's sight.

"Shinji!" he heard someone call him from behind him. He turned around to see Asuka walking towards him. Touji and Rei followed her. "Where have you been?" Asuka demanded.

"I just-" he stopped, considering what he should tell her, "- was saying goodbye to Logani," he finished.

"Oh," she said, "He left? Just like that?"

"Yeah," Shinji said, casting a glance around. He couldn't help but wonder how close of a watch Logani would be keeping. 'Will I ever have privacy again?' he thought. He decided it didn't matter, better to live without privacy then be dead.

Asuka tossed back her head and smiled. "Well good riddance to him," she said, finally reaching Shinji, "He was always a little weird wasn't he?"

Shinji thought he saw one of the trees scowl slightly. 'Trick of the light,' he decided. "He was a little strange…" he said.

"Where to now?" asked Touji, catching up to Asuka and Shinji.

Shinji didn't even stop to think about it. With a yawn he said, "Bed."

* * *

Life recovered gradually. 

The UN had to be practically rebuilt from scratch, most of it having been destroyed by the Tabri offensive only a few days earlier.

When it did get up and running Tokyo-3 became its top priority. The whole mega-city had to be rebuilt, much of it from scratch. Also, at the urging of one Shinji Ikari, NERV was left in operational status.

Shinji became a world hero practically overnight when his name was leaked around the world. Universities he had never even heard of, let alone applied too, sent in acceptance papers too him. He was quickly the most respected persona in the human culture. When he said he wanted NERV to continue the UN had almost no choice but to bow to his will.

Asuka was surprised Shinji had opted for NERV to continue. She'd thought that Shinji had been very strongly opposed to war in general. When it became obvious that NERV and the Evangelions would continue she signed up immediately as a pilot.

However, to her disappointment Shinji refused to be a pilot. He choose instead a job with someone called the Marduke Institute, who Asuka had never even heard of. Whenever asked about the job Shinji would politely refuse to comment.

This was not to say that Asuka and Shinji didn't see quite a bit of each other. Shinji's job was miraculously placed inside of the geo-front, close to were Asuka worked.

Touji went to the University of Tokyo-3 and graduated with distinction. He went on to receive his master's degree in physics and logic. There really was a reason he was picked as the Third Child.

Hikari would've been proud.

Touji then applied to work for NERV, at Shinji's prodding. He was accepted and began work on a series of Evangelion related experiments, particularly soul theory research.

Rei, like Asuka, applied to piloting initially. However, after a few years of standard synch tests she left and went into college. She graduated from Florida University and went to work for NERV. She eventually became head of the recreated NERV 03 in the US.

Anyone who knew Asuka would have thought that, like Rei, she would have left piloting after a few years. Anyone who knew Asuka was wrong. She choose to remain at NERV and pilot.

A conversation she had with Shinji, when she was twenty-eight, was too change her life forever…

* * *

"Alright Asuka, that's enough," the tech on the bridge reported. 

She sighed and pulled off her neural plugs. She felt, as much as saw, the colors on the inside of the plug swirl. Her plug ejected with a slight hissing.

She climbed out of the plug of Unit 23 and took a towel offered to her by on of the techs. Her hair sorely needed it. Recent scientific findings had found that continuous exposure to LCL could cause hair damage. Asuka didn't really care about the study as much as who had conducted it. Much to Asuka's chagrin the leader had been Touji. 'Jock,' she couldn't help but think in her head.

She headed out of the Eva chamber and towards the girls locker room, toweling off as she went. When she was almost to the locker room, having just toweled off her face, she found Shinji waiting, leaning against a wall. 'Shinji? What's he doing here?' she thought.

Truth be told Asuka hadn't seen much of Shinji lately. In fact… she couldn't recall having seen him since her birthday, nearly a year ago.

Asuka hadn't actively avoided him. At least not more then twice, when she was covered in crap and not presentable. And Shinji wouldn't have avoided her…

She cursed him and his new job. She didn't even know what he did and she hated it. His job was almost certainly to blame for the long absence he'd had. Back when they'd still seen each other frequently, for a few years after Adam's destruction, Shinji had told her his job would require quite a bit of traveling, just none of it soon.

But now he was suddenly back.

"Long time no see," he said, in a very Shinji kind of way.

"Humph," she said, crossing her arms, closing her eyes, and lifting her chin up high. She decided to just ignore him and go into the locker room and get changed. She'd think of something while she was in there.

She passed him, pushing him out of the way with her eyes closed and entered the locker room.

Shinji began to shout something after her but she was too busy ignoring him. She closed the door and opened her eyes.

Three pairs of eyes stared at her. She blinked in astonishment.

Three…kid girls were in the room with her. She looked them over in confusion. "What are you doing here?" she asked them.

"Us?" one, a blonde, asked.

Another, an African brunette, replied, "We're here to pilot."

That sent Asuka running out of the room.

Shinji was waiting outside. "I tried to warn you," he said dryly.

Asuka grabbed him and started strangling him. "What the hell are those kids doing here!" she demanded.

"Ack!" was Shinji's only reply, at the moment.

Asuka released her grip when the three girls came out of the locker room. The last of the three, a redhead like Asuka, just looked at her, mouth open in amazement. Asuka cringed slightly.

Shinji managed to stand up, slowly at first. He massaged his throat for a moment before speaking. "Um… Girls, go and get your plug suites on. Asuka… could I have a word?"

The three girls turned to go back into the locker room. The redhead was the last to go. "What? Do you think I'm going to start strangling him again when you leave?" Asuka asked her.

The girl scuttled out of the room. Shinji scowled. "That wasn't very nice," he said.

"Well she should learn not to stare at people," Asuka said, turning back to her victim.

"Good luck with that," he said, "She's practically in awe with you."

That got Asuka's attention. "In awe," she asked, dumfounded.

Shinji nodded. "Uh huh. Come on, lets go to my office and we can talk," he said, still massaging his throat slightly.

Asuka followed him through the corridors. So far she hadn't been allowed to find out even as much as where Shinji's office was. She was surprised when they finally go there.

Shinji's office was arrayed in a slightly different matter then its two previous masters. He had removed the sephirothic runes on the walls and floor. Instead he had paintings of the various Evangelions on one wall, with the Angels on the other. He sat behind the desk and offered Asuka the seat across from him. She took it.

Shinji sat in the same position the original owner had used. He gazed at Asuka over his hands for a moment, as if considering her worth, and then placed his hands in a more relaxing position in his lap. He sighed and pulled a file out of one of the drawers. He tossed it to her.

"I'm sorry to get you involved Asuka," he said quietly. Then his voice rose to a more normal tone, "Everything in that file is security code five. You will repeat none of it."

Asuka opened the file and found bios for five children. Her eyes widened slightly when she recognized the three girls. She turned back to look at Shinji, confusion etched on her face.

"Those are the biographies of the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth children," Shinji began.

Asuka opened her mouth in shock. "No," she whispered weakly.

"Yes," Shinji said, "We need them and I'm here to tell you why."

Asuka shook her head and pressed her palms to the side of it. "Why can't we train older ones!" she demanded.

"Don't worry," Shinji said soothingly, "They won't have to pilot until they're older. Hopefully much older."

Asuka let out a long breath and eased down. "Why do we need them?" she asked finally.

"For the same reason we were needed," said Shinji calmly.

Asuka narrowed her eyes.

In the following hours Shinji told her everything Logani had told him. How the Angels would come back when he died and how more pilots would be needed to fight them off.

He also told her of his decisions. How he had resurrected the Marduke Institute his father had used in order to find suitable pilots. How he had chosen Asuka, the only remaining pilot in operation, to train the first batch of pilots.

She took it in calm. After all, she had been through hell already.

What was another lap?

* * *

Well, this is the end of Reign of the Tabri. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, sorry about the ending. As I said at the beginning of 22, I wanted to give some sort of warning for this. It just never really happened...

I think this chapter makes the other option seem all the more depressing. Knowing that they could have been happy, just for a little while...

More reviews will mean my next fic will start sooner. But don't expect it too soon, school isn't far off.

But I did leave this story open ended...


End file.
